Branch  of  the  College  of  Agriculture 
Davis,  California 


10°         Longitude    West  5°      from    Greenwich 


Longitude    East 


50  100  150  200 

The  highlands  above  2000  feet 

are  shown  in  buff  tints, 
the  lowlands  in  green  tints 


THE  BRITISH  ISLES 

This  map  shows  the  native  homes/of  prominent  breeds  of  horses  and  cattle  (see  numerals) 
and  sheep  (see  letters) 

I,  Cleveland  ;  II,  Clydesdale  ;  II  I,  Hackney  ;  IV,  Shetland  ;  V,  Shire  ;  VI,  Suffolk ;  7,  Aber- 
deen Angus;  8,  Ayrshire;  9,  Devon;  10,  Dexter  and  Kerry;  n,  Galloway;  12,  Guernsey 
and  Jersey;  13,  Hereford;  14,  Red  Polled;  15,  Shorthorn;  16,  West  Highland;  A,  Black- 
Faced  Highland  ;  ff,  Cheviot ;  C,  Cotswold  ;  £>,  Dorset  Horn  ;  E,  Hampshire;  F,  Leicester; 
G,  Lincoln  ;  //,  Oxford  ;  /,  Romney  Marsh  ;  /,  Shropshire  ;  A',  Southdown  ;  L,  Suffolk 


TYPES  AND  BREEDS  OF 
FARM  ANIMALS 


BY 

CHARLES  S.  PLUMB 

PROFESSOR    OF   ANIMAL    HUSBANDRY    IN    THE    COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 

OF   THE    OHIO    STATE    UNIVERSITY.     AUTHOR    OF    "JUDGING    FARM 

ANIMALS,"    "  BEGINNINGS    IN    ANIMAL    HUSBANDRY,"    ETC. 


REVISED  EDITION 


GINN  AND  COMPANY 

BOSTON     •     NEW   YORK     •     CHICAGO     •     LONDON 
ATLANTA     •     DALLAS     •     COLUMBUS     •     SAN    FRANCISCO 


ENTERED    AT    STATIONERS*   HALL 


COPYRIGHT,  1906,  1920,  BY 
CHARLES  S.  PLUMB 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 
320.12 


jgtftengtim 


GINN  AND  COMPANY  -  PRO- 
PRIETORS •  BOSTON  •  U.S.A. 


FOREWORD 

"  Types  and  Breeds  of  Farm  Animals  "  was  first  published  'n 
1906.  The  reception  accorded  the  first  edition  far  surpassed  the 
most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  author,  and  his  first  impulse  is 
to  express  a  deep  appreciation  for  the  many  generous  expressions 
regarding  it  that  have  come  to  him  from  many  sources.  In  this 
revised  edition  is  a  more  detailed  discussion  relative  to  the  great 
breeds,  and  considerable  space  is  devoted  to  families  of  impor- 
tance and  to  noted  individuals.  A  large  amount  of  new  data  has 
been  collected  relating  to  various  phases  of  production,  although 
it  is  a  hopeless  task  to  bring  such  records  down  to  date.  Milk, 
butter-fat,  speed,  and  sale-ring  records  have  been  shattered  over 
and  over  again  during  the  last  few  years,  so  that  what  is  new 
to-day  will  to-morrow  be  out  of  date.  The  number  of  chapters 
remains  the  same,  but  several  obsolete  breeds  have  been  omitted 
in  this  revision  and  other  new  and  more  important  ones  have 
been  substituted.  Maps  and  many  illustrations  have  been  added. 

The  author  desires  to  emphasize  the  importance  of  breed 
study.  The  value  of  all  our  farm  animals  is  dependent  upon  the 
breeds  being  maintained  not  only  in  their  purity  but  in  a  high 
degree  of  excellence.  A  great  number  of  men  without  plan  or 
purpose  are  producing  inferior  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and  swine, 
mixing  breeds  and  blood-lines,  totally  ignoring  all  thought  of 
constructive  breeding.  Were  it  not  for  the  relatively  few  men 
breeding  along  definite  lines  and  upholding  high  standards  within 
the  breeds,  our  herds  and  flocks  would  sink  to  much  lower  levels. 
To  overcome  the  damages  done  by  nondescript  breeding,  it  is 
absolutely  essential  that  men  shall  familiarize  themselves  with 
the  ancestry,  characteristics,  capacities,  and  adaptations  of  the 
breeds,  that  they  may  intelligently  undertake  breeding  operations. 

468447 


vi  FOREWORD 

Inasmuch  as  this  volume  will  be  largely  used  by  students  and 
young  stockmen,  who  are  essentially  beginners  in  the  study  and 
breeding  of  farm  animals,  the  author  wishes  to  emphasize  the 
importance  of  the  breeder  being  a  person  of  integrity,  with  a 
character  above  reproach.  It  is  most  unfortunate  that  the  hand 
of  suspicion  has  pointed  at  some  breeders  as  engaged  in  practices 
that  reflect  upon  their  reliability.  Errors  of  record  due  to  care- 
lessness may  happen,  and  be  excused,  but  premeditated  crooked- 
ness in  breeding,  testing,  or  selling  pure-bred  live  stock  cannot 
be  justified  and  should  be  severely  punished.  Our  breeds  must 
be  established  and  maintained  with  honesty  of  purpose  a  first 
requirement.  Whoever  attempts  to  establish  a  herd  under  any 
other  conditions  is  sure  to  degrade  rather  than  elevate  the 
breeder's  art,  to  injure  the  innocent,  to  carry  a  tainted  name, 
and  to  have  a  disastrous  career.  Public  sentiment  should  place 
a  premium  on  a  good  name  as  worth  more  than  great  riches  and 
attach  the  stain  of  disgrace  and  a  just  punishment  on  the  man 
guilty  of  intentional  deceit. 

One  of  the  most  hopeful  signs  on  the  horizon  of  American 
live-stock  husbandry  is  the  present  interest  in  community  and 
cooperative  breeding  and  the  establishment  of  thousands  of  boys' 
and  girls'  live-stock  clubs.  For  this  reason  the  future  prospects 
of  improved  live-stock  husbandry  are  most  encouraging.  Both 
types  and  breeds  are  receiving  greatly  increased  attention,  and 
many  more  are  seriously  interested  in  constructive  breeding  than 
ever  before.  It  is  the  profound  desire  of  the  author  that  this 
work  shall  contribute  to  this  end. 

CHARLES  S.  PLUMB 
OHIO  STATE  UNIVERSITY, 
COLUMBUS,  OHIO 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Prehistoric  Horse i 

II.  The  Arab  Horse 7 

III.  The  Thoroughbred 17 

IV.  The  American  Saddle  Horse 31 

V.  The  Light  Harness  Type 40 

VI.  The  American  Trotter  and  Pacer 44 

VII.  The  Heavy  Harness  Horse  Type 64 

VIII.  The  Hackney 70 

IX.  The  French  Coach 78 

X.  The  German  Coach 82 

XL  The  Cleveland  Bay 85 

XII.  The  Draft-Horse  Type 89 

XIII.  The  Percheron 95 

XIV.  The  French  Draft 118 

XV.  The  Belgian 121 

XVI.  The  Clydesdale 134 

XVII.  The  Shire 148 

XVIII.  The  Suffolk 160 

XIX.   Ponies 168 

XX.  The  Shetland  Pony 175 

XXL  The  Ass 182 

XXII.  The  Mule 192 

XXIII.  Beef  Type  of  Cattle 201 

XXIV.  The  Shorthorn 207 

XXV.  The  Polled  Shorthorn 247 

XXVI.  The  Hereford  .     . 252 

XXVII.  The  Aberdeen-Angus 279 

XXVIII.  The  Galloway .  300 

XXIX.  The  West  Highland 311 

XXX.   Dairy  Type  of  Cattle 317 

XXXI.  The  Jersey 323 

XXXII.  The  Holstein-Friesian 354 

XXXIII.  The  Guernsey 385 

XXXIV.  The  Ayrshire 412 

XXXV.  The  Dutch  Belted 428 

XXXVI.  The  French  Canadian 434 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXVII.  The  Kerry 438 

XXXVIII.  The  Dexter 442 

XXXIX.  Dual-Purpose  Type  of  Cattle 447 

XL.  The  Red  Polled 450 

XLI.  The  Brown  Swiss 463 

XLII.  The  Devon    . 473 

XLIII.  The  Merino,  or  Fine-Wool  Type  of  Sheep 481 

XLIV.  The  American  Merino 488 

XLV.  The  Delaine  Merino 511 

XLVI.  The  Rambouillet 520 

XLVII.  The  Mutton  Type  of  Sheep 533 

XLVI II.  The  Southdown 537 

XLIX.  The  Shropshire 551 

L.  The  Oxford  Down 566 

LI.  The  Hampshire  Down 575 

LII.  The  Dorset  Horn 586 

LIII.  The  Cheviot 597 

LIV.  The  Suffolk 607 

LV.  The  Tunis 613 

LV I.  The  Leicester 618 

LVII.  The  Cotswold 628 

LVIII.  The  Lincoln 636 

LIX.  The  Romney  Marsh 646 

LX.  The  Black-Faced  Highland 651 

LXI.  The  Corriedale 655 

LXII.  The  Karakul 660 

LXI  1 1.  The  Angora  Goat 666 

LXIV.  The  Milch  Goat 673 

LXV.  The  American,  or  Lard,  Type  of  Pig 683 

LXVI.  The  Berkshire    . 689 

LXVII.  The  Duroc-Jersey 705 

LXVIII.  The  Poland-China  . 720 

LXIX.  The  Chester  White 737 

LXX.  The  Hampshire :     .  749 

LXXI.  The  Mule-Foot 759 

LXXI I.  The  Large  Black 762 

LXXIII.  The  Cheshire 766 

LXXIV.  The  Small  Yorkshire 770 

LXXV.  The  Essex 774 

LXXVI.  The  Bacon  Type  of  Pig 778 

LXXVII.  The  Large  Yorkshire 782 

LXXVIII.  The  Tamworth 792 

INDEX 799 


TYPES  AND  BREEDS  OF 
FARM  ANIMALS 

PART  I.   THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 
CHAPTER  I 

THE  PREHISTORIC  HORSE 

The  world-wide  distribution  of  the  horse  in  prehistoric  times 
has  been  well  established.  Fossil  remains  have  been  discovered 
in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  North  and  South  America.  Nothing 
of  the  kind,  however,  has  been  found  in  Australia  or  the  Oceanic 
Islands.  These  remains  have  been  found  in  earth  and  sand 
deposits  in  various  parts  of  Europe,  antedating  the  glacial  period. 
In  1901  important  discoveries  were  made  of  drawings  of  horses 
in  a  cave  at  La  Mouthe,  France,  supposed  to  have  been  made 
prior  to  the  Stone  Age.  These  drawings  were  partly  cut  in  rock 
and  partly  made  in  ocher  and  represented  animals  associated 
with  hunting.  These  well-defined  drawings  show  a  horse  with 
no  forelock  and  a  head  with  Roman-nose  character,  also  one  with 
a  head  similar  to  that  of  the  Celtic  pony.  From  the  evidence 
left  in  these  caves  it  is  thought  that  a  larger  type  of  horse 
lived  toward  the  south,  while  farther  north  a  smaller  form 
existed.  The  ass  is  also  known  to  have  been  in  existence  in 
Europe  at  this  period. 

The  discovery  of  the  prehistoric  horse  in  America  was  first 
made  by  Mitchell  in  1826  near  the  Navesink  Highlands  in  New 
Jersey,  and  caused  great  discussion.  About  1850  Dr.  Leidy  made 
similar  discoveries  in  Nebraska,  and  late  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury the  wide  distribution  of  this  early  horse  in  North  and  South 
America  was  well  understood.  These  remains  have  been  found 
all  over  the  Southern  states,  in  the  Northeastern  and  Middle 


2  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

states,  in  California  and  Oregon,  and  in  greatest  abundance  in  the 
so-called  Bad  Lands  of  Nebraska,  Wyoming,  and  South  Dakota. 
The  fossil  remains  of  the  horse  are  generally  fragmentary  and 
date  as  remotely  as  the  Lower  Eocene  period.  A  number  of  com- 
plete skeletons,  however,  have  been  discovered,  notably  in  1899 
in  Texas,  when  several  of  the  size  of  a  trotting  horse  were  found. 
The  evolution  of  the  horse  from  prehistoric  to  present  times 
covers  geological  ages  of  time  and  represents  a  passing  of  perhaps 


FIG.  i.    Skeleton  of  prehistoric  horse  from  the  Lower  Pleistocene  of  Texas, 

in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History.    Reproduced  by  courtesy 

of  the  American  Museum 

three  million  years.  Extensive  researches  relative  to  the  prehis- 
toric horse,  conducted  by  the  scientific  staff  of  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  directed  by  Drs.  Osborn  and 
Matthews,  have  resulted  in  securing  a  wonderful  collection  of  re- 
mains and  a  large  amount  of  valuable  new  data.  As  a  result  of 
these  discoveries,  there  has  been  set  up  in  this  museum  a  com- 
plete collection  of  skeletons  showing  the  various  stages  of 
development  from  the  Lower  Eocene  to  the  present  day  horse. 
Many  of  these  skeletons,  originally  more  or  less  incomplete,  have 
been  restored,  so  that  the  exhibit  appears  perfect.  Based  on  the 


THE  PREHISTORIC  HORSE 


above-referred-to  discoveries,  the  following  descriptive  information 
is  presented  relative  to  the  evolution  of  the  prehistoric  horse 
through  several  geological  periods  : 

Eohippus,  formerly  known  as  Hyracotherium,  existed  in  the 
Lower  Eocene  period.  The  teeth,  short-crowned,  were  covered 
with  little  knobs  of  enamel.  The  fore  foot  had  four  complete  toes 
and  a  splint  of  a  fifth,  while  the  hind  foot  had  three  toes  and  a 


Head 


Fore  Foot 


HindFoot 


Teeth 


OneToe 

Splints  of 

2d  and  4th 

digits 


OneToe 

Splints  of 
Zd  and  4th 
digits 


Protohippus 


Mesohippus 


ThreeToes 

Side  toes 

not  touching 

the  ground 


Three  Toes 

Sid&~toes 

not  touching 

the  ground 


Long- 
Crowned, 
Cement- 
covered 


ThreeToes 

Side  toes 

touching  the 

ground; 
Splint  ofSlhdigit 


Protorohippus 


ThreeToes 

Sidetoes 

touching  the 

ground 


Four  Toes 


Short- 
Crowned, 
without 
Cement 


Hyracotherium 
(Eohippus) 


FourToes 
Splint  of 
1st  digit 


ThreeToes 
Splint  of 
5th  digit 


FIG.  2.    Comparative  drawings  of   skulls,  feet,  and  teeth  of  prehistoric  horse, 

showing   evolutionary   development.    Reproduced    by   permission    from    Guide 

Leaflet  No.  9,  American  Museum  of  Natural  Histor 

splint.  The  skull  suggests  a  civet  rather  than  a  horse.  Remains 
have  been  found  in  a  number  of  parts  of  the  world,  but  more  espe- 
cially in  the  Bad  Lands  of  the  Western  states.  These  are  about 
the  size  of  a  cat  or  fox  terrier,  and  have  been  termed  "  dawn 
horses."  Eleven  stages  of  development  have  been  assumed  to  have 
taken  place  from  and  including  this  period  to  the  present  time. 

Protorohippus  and  Orohippus  are  from  the  Middle  Eocene 
period.  Here  the  splints  in  the  hind  feet  have  disappeared,  and 
the  crests  on  the  molars  are  more  apparent.  These  horses  were 


4  THE  HORSE,  A$S,  AND  MULE 

about  the  size  of  a  small  dog  or  fox.  The  complete  skeleton  of 
a  Protorohippus  was  found  in  1880  in  Wyoming  and  is  now  in 
the  American  Museum  collection. 

Epihippus  is  from  the  Upper  Eocene  period.  Only  incomplete 
specimens  have  been  found.  There  are  four  toes  in  front  and 
three  behind,  but  the  central  toe  in  each  case  is  larger,  stronger, 
and  more  important  than  the  side  toes.  The  teeth  have  gone 
through  changes,  with  more  crescents  and  crests. 

Mesohippus  is  from  the  Oligocene  period.  There  are  three  toes 
on  each  foot  and  a  splint  representing  the  fourth  toe  of  the  fore  foot. 
The  middle  toe  is  now  much  larger  than  it  was  in  the  preceding 
stage,,  the  side  toes  bearing  but  little  weight  of  the  body.  There 
is  an  increased  development  of  the  molars.  In  the  Middle  Oligo- 
cene is  found  one  species  about  the  size  of  a  coyote,  or  eighteen 
inches  high,  while  in  the  Upper  Oligocene  is  another  species  as 
large  as  a  sheep.  Several  complete  skeletons  have  been  found. 

Protohippus  is  from  the  Miocene  period.  A  number  of  different 
species  existed  in  the  Lower,  Middle,  and  Upper  Miocene  periods. 
The  side  toes  are  slender  and  no  longer  reach  the  ground.  In 
some  species  they  have  completely  disappeared.  The  teeth  are 
more  like  those  of  the  modern  horse  —  the  crowns  being  much 
lengthened,  and  the  crests  and  ridges  higher  and  more  com- 
plicated, with  cement  between  the  ridges.  Horses  of  this  period 
ranged  in  size  from  a  mastiff  dog  to  a  Shetland  pony. 

Pliohippus  is  from  the  Pliocene  period.  Comparatively  little  is 
known  of  this  form,  excepting  that  it  was  either  one-toed  or 
very  nearly  so. 

Equus  is  from  the  Pleistocene  period  and  Recent.  The  side  toes 
are  gone,  but  are  represented  by  splints  on  fore  and  hind  foot. 
On  the  fore  foot  no  trace  of  the  first  and  fifth  toes,  found  on  the 
Protohippus,  remains.  The  crowns  of  the  teeth  are  much  longer, 
and  the  teeth  have  changed  otherwise.  The  skull  has  lengthened, 
and  the  horse  is  much  larger. 

Tracing  the  evolution  of  the  horse,  we  find  that  this  animal 
gradually  increases  in  height,  the  number  of  toes  reduces  to  one 
on  each  foot,  while  the  teeth  increase  in  length  and  crown  de- 
velopment. With  increase  in  height  comes  a  gain  in  the  propor- 
tionate length  of  the  limbs,  more  especially  in  the  lower  part, 


THE  PREHISTORIC  HORSE 


5 


thereby  increasing  the  length  of  stride  and  securing  greater 
speed.  The  surfaces  of  the  joints,  at  first  more  or  less  open  and 
of  the  ball-and-socket  type,  changed  to  a  grooved  or  pulley-like 
form,  this  limiting  the  direction  of  movement  forward  and  back- 
ward,— a  development  better  fitted  for  locomotion  over  level  than" 
rough  ground.  The  horse  being  a  grazing  animal,  the  increase 
in  height  of  body  and  length  of  leg  necessitated  elongation  of 
neck  and  head.  The  natural  habitat  of  the  earlier  horse  was  the 


FIG.  3.    Prejvalsky  ponies  in  New  York  Zoological  Park.    Photograph  by 
courtesy  of  Edwin  R.  Sanborn 

forest,  where  it  undoubtedly  subsisted  on  the  more  tender  parts 
of  plants  and  branches.  In  the  course  of  time,  however,  along 
with  the  increase  in  size  came  the  development  of  teeth  with 
cutting  and  grinding  surfaces  better  suited  to  the  product  of 
grassy  plains  than  the  forest ;  hence  the  horse  eventually  found 
its  natural  home  on  the  open  plain  or  meadow  where  grazing 
was  afforded. 

The  color  of  the  prehistoric  horse  is  not  known,  but  it  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  more  or  less  striped,  like  the  zebra,  though 
not  brilliant  in  hue.  The  groundwork  of  this  color  was  presum- 
ably dun,  or  khaki. 


6  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Man  and  the  prehistoric  horse  were  associated  as  early  as  the 
Paleolithic,  or  Stone  Implement  Age.  It  is  assumed  that  man  first 
hunted  horses  for  food,  then  drove  them,  and  finally  used  them 
for  riding  and  as  beasts  of  burden.  The  bones  of  human  beings 
have  been  found  in  connection  with  prehistoric-horse  remains  in 
South  America,  but  not  in  North  America.  In  Europe  man  and 
the  prehistoric  horse  were  without  doubt  associated. 

The  connecting  link  between  the  prehistoric  and  modern  horse 
is  assumed  to  be  the  present  form  of  the  zebra,  the  wild  ass  of 
Asia  and  Africa,  and  Prejvalsky's  horse.  The  prehistoric  horse 
became  extinct  in  America  and  Europe  during  the  Quaternary 
period,  or  Age  of  Man,  while  those  of  Asia  and  Africa  survived. 
It  has  been  assumed  by  various  authorities  that  Prejvalsky's  horse, 
discovered  in  1881  by  Poliakoff  on  the  desert  of  Zungaria  in 
western  Mongolia  in  Asia,  is  the  connecting  link  between  the 
recent  and  prehistoric  horse.  This  type  of  wild  pony,  standing 
forty  inches  high,  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  European 
cave  drawings  of  the  horse.  The  rough,  small,  coarse-headed 
ponies  native  to  Norway,  Ireland,  and  other  parts  of  northern 
Europe  show  much  resemblance  to  the  wild  ponies  of  Mongolia 
and  China.  Professor  J.  Cossar  Ewart  of  Scotland,  who  has  given 
much  study  to  the  origin  of  our  domestic  breeds,  states J  that 
11  though  the  wild  horse  discovered  some  years  ago  by  Prejvalsky 
in  Mongolia  has  neither  coarse  limbs  nor  broad  hoofs,  it  is  re- 
garded by  many  as  the  modern  representative  of  the  fossil  horse 
from  which  domestic  breeds  are  said  to  have  descended.  This  is 
the  view  adopted  by  Professor  Durst  in  his  report  on  the  'Animal 
Remains  from  the  Excavations  at  Anau.'"  In  1904  Ewart  recog- 
nized as  connecting  links  three  distinct  types  of  horses  —  Prej- 
valsky's, Celtic,  and  Norwegian,  which  he  later  respectively 
designated  as  "  steppe,"  "  plateau,"  and  "  forest"  types.  Durst  of 
Germany,  who  arrived  at  the  same  conclusion,  though  independ- 
ently, represented  in  graphic  form  the  origin  of  the  modern  breeds. 
However,  he  assumed  that  both  wild  and  tame  modern  horses 
are  all  descended  from  a  fossil  species  n$w  represented  by  Equus 
Prejvalsky. 

1  "  The  Principles  of  Breeding  and  the  Origin  of  Domesticated  Breeds  of 
Animals,"  27th  Report  .Bureau  Animal  Industry  for  the  year  1910,  pp.  125-239, 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  ARAB  HORSE 

The  native  home  of  the  Arab  horse  is  Arabia.  This  is  an  ex- 
tensive country  lying  just  east  of  the  Red  Sea,  extending  some 
fifteen  hundred  miles  northwest  to  southeast,  and  varying  in  width 
from  about  one  thousand  miles  in  its  southern  portion  to  five  hun- 
dred at  its  northern  end.  Wide  expanses  of  deserts  are  found 
in  this  country  that  are  dry  and  unattractive  from  an  agricultural 
point  of  view.  The  Arab  horse,  more  or  less  pure,  is  found  in 
great  numbers  in  Turkey,  Persia,  and  parts  of  northern  Africa, 
notably  the  Sahara  region.  The  best  Arabian  horses  are  found 
in  the  desert  region,  among  the  migratory  Bedouin  tribes,  of  which 
there  are  several  groups.  The  most  powerful  of  these  are  the 
Shammar  race  of  Mesopotamia  in  the  north  and  to  the  east  of  the 
Euphrates,  and  the  Anezah  in  the  south.  The  latter  have  the  best 
horses,  a  fact  generally  recognized  by  the  Bedouins. 

The  origin  of  the  pure  Arabian  has  been  the  subject  of  wide 
discussion.  Undoubtedly  much  has  been  written  based  on  nothing 
more  substantial  than  romance  and  tradition.  Some  writers — nota- 
bly Professor  William  Ridgeway  of  Cambridge,  England  —  have 
assumed  that  the  Arab  horse  originated  in  Africa ;  others  seriously 
question  the  accuracy  of  this  claim.  The  Arabians  themselves 
offer  only  traditional  evidence.  These  people  are  descendants  of 
Ishmael,  who,  according  to  tradition,  inherited  a  valuable  horse 
of  the  Kuhl  race.  The  Anezah  tribe  descends  in  a  direct  line 
from  Ishmael,  through  Sheik  Salaman,  who  lived  about  1635  B.C. 
and  who  owned  five  famous  mares.  These  are  known  as  the 
Al  Khamseh  mares,  and  from  this  ancestry,  it  is  claimed,  has  come 
the  purest  and  best  Arab  horse  blood.  This  race  was  in  exist- 
ence many  centuries  before  the  time  of  Mohammed.  Many  people 
have  visited  Arabia  to  study  the  Arabian  horse  and  to  import 
it  to  other  countries,  and  from  these  people  there  has  been  some 
diversity  of  opinion.  Major  Upton  and  Lady  Anne  Blunt,  however, 

7 


8 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


have  no  doubt  given  more  careful  consideration  to  this  subject 
than  any  other  persons.  They  made  special  journeys  to  Arabia, 
where  careful  studies  were  made  of  the  horse  of  the  people,  con- 
cerning which  we  learn  much  in  their  writings.1  Major  Upton 
lived  among  the  Arabs  for  months  and  spoke  their  language. 
The  late  Homer  Davenport,  an  American  artist  who  was  for  many 
years  interested  in  this  breed  of  horses,  after  a  trip  to  Arabia  also 

published  more  or  less  re- 
garding the  origin  of  this 
horse  and  its  various 
families  and  subfamilies.2 
Five  great  families  of 
Arabian  horses  of  to-day 
trace  their  ancestry  to  the 
five  mares  above  referred 
to.  These  families  are  as 
follows :  ( i )  Keheilet  A j  uz, 
(2)  Seglawi,  (3)  Abeyan, 
(4)  Hamdani,  and  (5)  Had- 
ban.  There  is  some  dif- 
ference of  opinion  as  to 
the  families  descending 
from  these  mares,  but 
present-day  authorities  as 
a  rule  regard  the  above 
as  descended  from  the 
Khamseh  mares.  Numer- 
ous subfamilies  or  strains  are  credited  to  these  five  great  fam- 
ilies. From  the  first-named  family,  the  Keheilet  Ajuz,  comes 
the  choicest  Arab  blood.  As  applied  to  horses,  Keheilan  means 
"male"  and  Keheilet  "female,"  and  indicates  purity  of  blood  trace- 
able without  a  break  to  the  five  mares  of  Salaman.  The  word 
ajus  means  "old  woman."  The  following  story  of  the  origin  of 
this  family  is  given  by  the  Arabian  people  and  has  been  widely 

1  Roger  D.  Upton,  Gleanings  from  the  Desert  of  Arabia  (London,   1881); 
Lady  Anne  Blunt,  The  Bedouin  Tribes  of  the  Euphrates,  2  vols.  (London,  1879)  5 
Lady  Anne  Blunt,  A  Pilgrimage  to  Nejd,  2  vols.  (London,  1881). 

2  Homer  Davenport,  My  Quest  of  the  Arab  Horse.    New  York,  1909. 


FIG.  4.  Shahwan,  an  Arab  stallion  bred  by  Ali 
Pacha  Sherif  of  Egypt.  Used  in  stud  by  W.  S. 
Blunt,  Esq.,  England.  Imported  in  1895  by 
J.  A.  P.  Ramsdell,  Newburg,  New  York.  Photo- 
graph by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Ramsdell 


THE  ARAB  HORSE  9 

quoted.  An  Arab  chief  was  endeavoring  to  escape  from  an 
enemy  while  mounted  on  his  favorite  mare.  The  journey  was  a 
long  and  hard  one,  and  while  resting  at  noon  the  mare  gave 
birth  to  a  filly  foal.  The  owner  of  the  mare  being  hard  pressed 
mounted  and  rode  away,  leaving  the  newborn  colt,  and  after  much 
difficulty  reached  his  own  people.  To  the  utter  surprise  of  all, 
the  colt  followed  and  reached  the  camp  shortly  after  the  arrival 
of  her  dam.  She  was  given  into  the  care  of  one  of  the  old 
women  of  the  tribe,  whence  her  name  Keheilet  Ajuz  ("  the  mare 
of  the  old  woman  ").  This  colt  lived  to  become  the  most  famous 
mare  ever  seen  on  the  desert,  and  from  her  are  descended  the 
choicest  of  pure  Arabian  horses.  The  claim  is  made  that  nineteen 
families  are  descended  from  her,  five  through  mares  and  fourteen 
through  stallions.  Some  even  believe  that  eight  other  families 
also  should  be  credited  to  her. 

The  Seglawi  is  descended  from  four  great  mares  owned  by  a 
man  of  that  name.  Davenport,  who  classes  this  as  one  of  the  great 
Arabian  families,  states  that  Seglawi  at  his  death  gave  his  favorite 
mare  to  his  brother  Jedran,  from  which  the  name  "  Seglawi  Jedran  " 
is  given  this,  the  most  popular  branch  of  the  Keheilet  Ajuz  family. 
Horses  of  this  ancestry  are  said  to  be  mostly  bays  in  color,  are 
possessed  of  the  greatest  speed  of  any  Arab  family,  and  in  con- 
formation closely  resemble  the  Thoroughbred.  Davenport  states1 
that  the  Darley  Arabian,  "  perhaps  the  only  Anezeh  horse  in  our 
studbooks,  was  a  Keheilan  of  the  subfamily  called  Ras-el-Fadawi." 

The  characteristics  of  the  Arab  horse.  The  head  represents 
very  superior  character  and  intelligence,  the  forehead  being  broad 
and  prominent,  and  the  head  tapering  toward  the  nose  more 
than  with  other  breeds.  The  nostrils  are  prominent,  the  eyes 
fairly  so,  the  ears  delicate  and  pointing  inward,  and  the  general 
head  expression  lean  and  representing  high  spirit.  The  neck  is 
of  medium  length  and  sustains  the  head  most  gracefully.  Captain 
Hayes  states  that  the  shoulders  of  the  Arab  slope  well,  though 
from  the  saddle  point  of  view  they  are  often  too  thick,  while  the 
withers  incline  to  be  rather  low  and  broad.  The  body  is  fairly 
short  and  is  usually  deeply  ribbed,  the  back  is  well  sustained, 
and  the  loins  are  broad  and  muscular.  The  croup  tends  to  be 

1  My  Quest  of  the  Arab  Horse  (1909),  p.  259. 


10  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

high,  sometimes  making  specimens  of  the  breed  appear  higher 
here  than  at  the  withers.  The  tail  sets  high  and  is  carried  with 
style.  The  quarters  are  long  and  deep,  but  the  gaskins  and 
hocks  hardly  equal  those  of  the  Thoroughbred.  The  legs  and 
feet  are  very  superior.  For  his  size  the  strength  of  the  Arabian 
horse  is  remarkable,  this  being  due  in  part  to  large  development 
of  muscle  of  loin  and  arm,  whereby  he  becomes  a  superior 
burden  carrier.  The  Arab  has  a  great  constitution  and  extraordi- 
nary staying  power.  He  is  not  noted  so  much  for  speed  as  for 
endurance,  as  he  is  not  nearly  the  equal  of  the  Thoroughbred 
or  American  trotter  for  rapid  speed.  Yet  the  Arab  will  perform 
long  journeys  across  country  with  comparative  ease,  such  as 
require  great  staying  power.  In  height  the  Arab  ranges  from 
14  to  1 4^  hands,  so  that  he  stands  at  the  boundary  line  between 
pony  and  horse.  Many  of  the  most  famous  Arabs  brought  to 
England  were  ponies.  Esa  ben  Curtas,  a  large  importer  of  Arabs 
to  Bombay,  is  credited  with  the  statement  that  the  best  Arabs 
did  not,  as  a  rule,  exceed  14  hands  ij-  inches  to  14 \  hands 
high.  In  color  there  is  some  variation,  for  there  are  bays, 
whites,  grays,  chestnuts,  and  blacks.  No  pure-bred  Arabs  are 
spotted  or  roan  of  color.  Rowe  gives  the  prevalence  of  the 
various  colors  as  follows1:  bay,  50  to  60  per  cent;  chestnut, 
25  per  cent;  and  gray  or  white,  15  to  25  per  cent.  A  black 
Arabian  is  exceedingly  rare. 

The  introduction  of  the  Arab  horse  to  America  dates  back  many 
years.  No  doubt  numerous  horses  called  Arabian  were  not  of 
that  breed,  but  were  of  oriental  ancestry.  About  1765  an  Arab 
stallion  named  Ranger  was  imported  to  New  London,  Connecticut. 
A  half-bred,  gray  son  of  this  horse  was  used  by  General  Washing- 
ton during  the  Revolutionary  War.  Ranger  was  later  taken  to 
Virginia,  where  he  became  known  as  the  Lindsay  Arabian.  In 
1838  a  large  consignment  of  both  stallions  and  mares  was  brought 
to  the  United  States  by  Commodore  J.  D.  Elliott  of  the  United 
States  Navy.  The  first  volume  of  Bruce's  "American  Studbook  " 
(Thoroughbred)  contains  a  list  of  42  Arab  stallions  imported  into 
the  United  States  between  1760  and  1860,  besides  12  Arab 
mares,  4  Barb  stallions,  and  2  Barb  mares.  About  1855  A.  Keene 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  May  29,  1912. 


THE  ARAB  HORSE 


II 


Richards  of  Kentucky  made  a  trip  to  Arabia  with  Troyon,  the 
animal  painter.  They  visited  among  the  Anezah,  and  Richards 
brought  back  to  America  3  stallions  and  2  mares.  The  stallions 
were  much  used  in  service,  and  their  blood  occupies  a  place  of 
prominence  in  the  Gold  Dust  family  of  trotters.  In  1893  a 
company  of  men  brought  several  stallions  and  mares  from  near 
Damascus  and  exhibited  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at 
Chicago.  Most  of  these  horses  later  were  lost  in  a  fire,  but  one 


FIG.  5.    Hamrah  28,  a  bay  Arab  stallion,  sire  a  Hamdani,  dam  a  Seglawi  Jedran. 

Owned  by   Hingham    Stock    Farm,   Hingham,    Massachusetts.     Photograph  by 

Pictorial  News  Company 

of  the  finest,  a  gray  mare  known  as  Nedjma,  was  saved.  In  1906 
Homer  Davenport  imported  10  mares  and  17  stallions  to  his  farm 
in  New  Jersey.  J.  A.  P.  Ramsdell  of  New  York,  Spencer  Borden 
of  Massachusetts,  and  Randolph  Huntington  of  New  York  each 
owned  imported  Arabs  of  merit. 

The  influence  of  the  Arab  horse  upon  the  improvement  of  the 
present-day  breeds  is  well  recognized  among  students.  As  early 
as  the  reign  of  King  James  I  of  England  (1603-1625)  Arab 
horses  were  introduced  into  that  country  and  crossed  with  light 
horses.  Between  1 700  and  1 800  many  oriental  horses  found  their 


12  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

way  to  England,  and  these  had  a  most  important  influence  in 
improving  the  Thoroughbred.  The  so-called  "  Royal  Mares," 
imported  by  Charles  II  (1660-1685),  became  foundation  stock  in 
the  best  of  British  light-horse  blood,  their  descendants  attaining 
great  distinction.  From  the  Darley  Arabian  imported  in  1706 
is  descended  the  best  of  Hackney  blood  to-day.  According  to 
Joseph  Osborne,1  since  the  time  of  James  I  164  oriental  sires  of 
known  record  have  been  taken  to  England  and  used  in  service. 
This  list  includes  90  Arabs,  36  Barbs,  32  Turks,  4  Persians,  and 
2  horses  of  unknown  ancestry.  Arab  horses  have  also  been 
used  for  centuries  in  improving  the  horses  of  continental  Europe. 
Much  of  the  quality  produced  in  the  early  Percheron,  it  is  claimed, 
came  from  the  Arab,  while  the  French  have  set  a  high  value  on 
this  horse  in  producing  half-breeds  and  improving  coach  horses.  In 
1522  the  Turks  invaded  Hungary  five  hundred  thousand  strong, 
which  number,  so  history  informs  us,  included  three  hundred 
thousand  horsemen.  With  the  defeat  of  the  Mohammedans  they 
were  driven  from  the  country,  but  they  left  large  numbers  of 
Arabian  horses  behind.  Until  the  World  War  Arab  horse  blood 
had  been  in  use  in  the  stables  of  Hungary,  and  a  Bedouin  of 
the  desert,  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  breed,  was  attached  to  the 
Hungarian  army  as  master  of  horse,  his  duty  being  to  select 
the  best  Arabian  horses  for  the  royal  studs.  These  studs  were 
established  in  1785.  In  addition  to  the  royal  studs,  there  were 
some  150  private  studs,  in  which  were  to  be  found  5000  Arab 
mares  of  purest  blood.  Russia  and  Germany  have  also  used  the 
Arabian  in  the  stud.  It  is  said  that  in  1895  no  less  than  200 
Arab  stallions  belonging  to  the  French  government  were  at  the 
free  service  of  owners  of  mares  in  Algiers,  Africa,  this  being  a 
French  colony. 

In  recent  years  Major  Upton  maintained  a  pure  Arab  stud  in 
England,  as  did  Henry  Chaplin,  once  Minister  of  Agriculture. 
Sir  Wilfred  Blunt  and  his  wife,  Lady  Anne  Blunt,  in  1877  be- 
came interested  in  the  Arab  and  brought  to  England  from  Arabia 
some  choice  pure-bred  stallions  and  mares.  They  owned  a  stud 
in  Egypt  as  well  as  in  England,  and  about  1905  their  Crabbet 
stud  in  England  contained  about  125  head.  Reverend  F.  F.  Vidal, 
1  The  Horse  Breeders'  Handbook,  London.  (No  date.) 


THE  ARAB  HORSE  13 

Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  Miss  Ethelred  Dillon,  and  others  have  pro- 
moted the  Arab  horse  in  England  and  maintained  studs. 

Notable  Arab  horses  of  recent  years  were  the  stallions  Kismet, 
Blitz,  El  Emir,  Maidan,  Kouch,  Kars,  Shahwan,  Cunningham, 
Garaveen,  and  Himyarite.  Kismet  and  Blitz  had  remarkable 
records  in  India  as  race  horses.  During  1883  and  1884  Kismet 
never  lost  a  race  or  heat  and  won  about  $150,000  in  money. 
Kismet  was  brought  to  England,  where  he  not  only  raced  but 
was  used  in  the  stud.  In  1891  he  was  leased  to  Mr.  Huntington 
of  Oyster  Bay,  New  York,  and  shipped  to  this  country,  but  died 
two  hours  after  landing.  Maidan  was  foaled  in  1869  at  Nejd  and 
was  taken  to  India,  where  he  attained  fame  as  a  race  horse.  After 
a  remarkable  career  of  many  years  as  a  cavalry  and  racing  horse 
in  India,  he  was  taken  to  France  and  from  there  to  England, 
where  he  lived  to  be  twenty-three  years  old.  Shahwan  was  a  small 
white  stallion  imported  from  Cairo  by  the  Blunts  and  sold  to 
J.  A.  P.  Ramsdell.  He  was  very  beautiful,  but  died  before  his 
value  in  the  stud  could  be  determined.  '  Notable  Arab  mares  were 
Hagar,  Haidee,  Naomi,  Rodania,  Kesia,  and  Nazli.  Hagar  was 
a  Keheilet  Ajuz  and  was  purchased  at  Aleppo  when  five  years 
of  age  and  taken  to  England  by  the  Blunts.  She  produced  thir- 
teen foals  and  died  in  1898,  at  twenty-five  years  of  age,  one  of 
the  greatest  Arab  mares  ever  imported  to  England.  Haidee  was 
imported  by  the  Uptons  and  left  one  foal,  Naomi,  after  which  she 
died.  Naomi  became  the  property  of  Mr.  Vidal,  who,  in  1888,  sold 
her  to  Randolph  Huntington.  She  had  twelve  foals,  four  in 
England  and  eight  in  America,  and  died  at  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  famous  as  a  remarkable  dam.  Nazli  was  a  daughter  of  Naomi, 
sired  by  Maidan.  She  produced  a  number  of  high-class  sons  and 
daughters. 

The  value  of  the  Arab  in  crossbreeding  has  been  very  notable. 
Wherever  used  he  has  transmitted  constitution,  quality,  intelli- 
gence, and  style  in  a  marked  degree.  His  value  to  horse  stock 
in  the  past  has  undoubtedly  been  important,  especially  in  the 
earlier  stages  of  breed  development.  Not  only  this,  but  European 
governments,  even  of  to-day,  recognize  the  value  of  an  Arabian 
cross  to  instill  the  qualities  above  referred  to  into  depleted  stock. 
As  an  example  of  this  crossing,  in  1899  it  is  stated  that  the 


14  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

French  government  mated  sixty  Thoroughbred  mares  with  pure 
Arabian  stallions  at  the  national  stud  at  Pompadour.  The  object 
was  to  obtain  Anglo-Arab  stallions  for  service  in  the  government 
studs.  These  crossbred  stallions  are  usually  placed  in  low,  soft 
districts,  where  the  horses  are  coarse  and  of  inferior  bone.  The 
progeny  from  such  stallions  have  more  refinement  and  quality 
than  those  obtained  by  other  matings.  At  the  present  time  one 
important  use  for  Arab  sires  is  breeding  to  Welsh,  New  Forest, 
Exmoor,  or  similar  ponies  to  produce  crossbreds  for  polo  playing. 
In  1913  fifteen  Arabian  stallions  were  shipped  to  West  Virginia 
to  be  used  on  farm  mares  in  the  blue-grass  counties  of  that  state.1 
The  present-day  recognition  of  the  Arab  horse  in  America  is 
very  slight.  The  breed  is  not  popular  among  horsemen,  and 
although  for  many  years  efforts  have  been  made  to  interest  the 
people  in  Arabs,  but  very  few  are  to  be  found  on  the  American 
continent.  The  argument  advanced  is  that  our  own  American 
saddle  horses  are  far  superior  to  the  Arab  for  riding  in  the 
saddle,  while  for  speed  in  harness  nothing  compares  with  our 
trotter  or  pacer.  In  the  opinion  of  most  horsemen  there  is 
no  special  place  or  use  for  the  Arab  in  America.  The  advocates 
of  the  Arab  regard  him  as  a  premier  saddle  horse  or  pony  and 
assign  him  large  credit  in  the  development  of  the  breeds  of  light 
horses.  "  The  Arab  horse  is  par  excellence  the  general  utility 
animal,"  writes  H.  K.  Bush-Brown,2  "and  as  such  has  no  equal 
because  of  his  intelligence,  docility,  fleetness,  and  endurance,  and 
his  strong  back  makes  him  the  best  weight  carrier  in  the  world." 
Professor  H.  F.  Osborn  states  that3  "the  unpopularity  of  the 
Arab  in  some  quarters  is  due  to  mistakes  which  have  been  made 
in  breeding  and  environment  or  nurture.  It  is  impossible  to  rear 
the  Arab  and  preserve  it  true  to  type  without  regard  to  the  hardy 
conditions  in  feeding  methods  and  environment  of  the  semi-desert 
regions  of  Arabia  where  these  animals  were  originally  bred."  In 
his  opinion  the  chief  value  of  the  Arab  to-day  will  be  in  giving  a 
finish  to  cavalry  stock  and  the  saddle  type  in  general,  "  but  the 
mixture  can  only  be  made  in  the  most  scientific  manner." 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  May  21,  1913. 

2  Arabian  National  Studbook,  Vol.  I  (1913),  p.  9. 
8  Ibid.  p.  3. 


'  "* . , ±* =L_I „__ , 

Longitude        West  2&  from        Greenwich  0°        Longitude    East 


FIG.  6.   A  county  map  of  England,  on  which  will  be  found  points  of  interest 
connected  with  the  ancestry  and  development  of  many  breeds 


16  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Societies  for  promoting  Arab  horses  are  found  in  various  coun- 
tries. In  the  United  States  Arab  horses  are  registered  in  "  The 
American  Thoroughbred  Studbook."  The  "  General  Studbook  of 
Great  Britain  "  serves  the  same  purpose  in  that  country.  In  1908 
the  Arabian  Horse  Club  of  America  was  incorporated,  and  Vol- 
ume I  of  the  "Arabian  National  Studbook  "was  published  in  1913. 
This  contains  the  registration  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
Arabs  and  sixty-eight  Americo-Arabs.  In  addition  to  registering 
pure  Arabs,  this  association  registers,  under  certain  conditions, 
crosses  with  Thoroughbreds,  trotters,  "  Kentucky  saddle  horses," 
Morgans,  and  Clays. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  THOROUGHBRED 

The  history  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  so  closely  associated  with 
the  improvement  of  the  modern  horse  that  much  consideration 
should  be  given  it. 

The  horse  in  England  prior  to  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign  was 
mainly  of  the  draft  type,  coarse  and  strong.  We  know  little  of 
his  general  merits.  He  was  used  in  war  for  chariots  and  as  a 
saddle  horse.  The  early  Romans  brought  horses  to  England  in 
the  fifth  century,  and  so  did  the  succeeding  Normans  and  others. 
Early  in  the  thirteenth  century  King  John  imported  one  hundred 
stallions  from  Flanders.  It  is  related  that  during  the  fourteenth 
century  Edward  III  brought  to  England  over  fifty  Spanish  horses 
at  a  cost  of  over  eight  hundred  dollars  each.  Henry  VIII  main- 
tained a  royal  stud,  had  laws  enacted  regarding  horse  breeding, 
and  imported  from  Turkey,  Spain,  and  Italy.  Yet  during  all  these 
years  the  prevailing  horses  were  burden  bearers  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  of  greater  speed,  known  as  running  horses.  The  use  of 
heavy  armor  in  the  army  had  justified  breeding  a  horse  of  this  type. 

Systematic  horse  racing  in  England  was  first  introduced  by 
James  I.  During  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth  (1558-1603)  the 
use  of  armor  grew  to  be  unpopular,  though  the  use  of  horses 
changed  but  little.  James  I,  succeeding  Elizabeth,  was  not  war- 
like in  temperament,  and  the  use  of  armor  passed  away  during 
his  reign.  Not  only  this,  but  James  established  the  race  course, 
gave  attention  to  horse  breeding,  and  imported  from  the  Orient. 
He  established  a  code  of  regulations  from  which  the  modern 
race  course  has  derived  its  foundation.  James  imported  from  the 
Orient  through  an  English  merchant  named  Markham,  an  Arabian 
stallion  for  which  he  paid  five  hundred  pounds  ($2500).  This 
horse  was  much  ridiculed  and  played  no  special  part  in  improving 
racing  stock.  About  1617  Sir  Thomas  Edmunds  brought  to 
England  six  Barb  stallions  which  were  bred  to  English  mares. 


1 8  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Charles  I  (1625-1649),  the  son  of  James  I,  established  racing  at 
Newmarket  and  Hyde  Park.  Charles  II  is  regarded  by  British 
authorities  as  the  leading  promoter  of  horse  racing  following  the 
time  of  Henry  VIII.  He  brought  many  horses  from  the  Orient 
and  was  a  pioneer  in  establishing  the  Thoroughbred  as  a  breed. 
Two  Barb  mares  which  Charles  II  imported  became  famous 
among  the  brood  mares  of  England,  and  were  named  the 
"  Royal  Mares." 

Horse  racing  and  the  race  track  in  Great  Britain  have  thus 
been  institutions  from  early  times,  and  since  the  day  of  James  I 
(1566-1625)  every  British  ruler  has  patronized  the  race  course 
and  promoted  horse  breeding.  The  most  noted  race  course  in 
England  is  that  at  Newmarket,  established  in  1667.  On  this 
course  in  May,  July,  and  October  are  held  notable  racing  events, 
of  which  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  stake  is  the  most  famous. 
What  are  known  as  the  classic  races  of  England,  in  the  order  of 
their  occurrence,  are  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas,  One  Thousand 
Guineas,  Derby,1  Oaks,  and  St.  Leger.  The  Derby,  the  most 
noted  of  these,  was  established  at  Epsom  in  1780  and  has  been 
held  each  year  since  until  1915,  when  it  was  discontinued  until 
after  the  World  War.  The  race  as  run  in  England  and  generally 
elsewhere  in  western  Europe  is  with  a  jockey  in  the  saddle,  the 
gait  being  at  a  gallop,  which  is  the  fastest  speed  produced  by 
the  horse.  The  course  is  a  closely  cropped  sod ;  hence  the  name  of 
11  the  turf,"  as  applied  to  the  European  race  track.  The  length  of 
the  course  and  its  form  vary  more  or  less.  In  1892  Curzon 
wrote,2  "There  are  thirty-one  different  race  courses  at  Newmarket, 
ranging  from  a  little  over  a  furlong  (40  rods,  or  one  eighth  of  a 
mile)  to  the  Beacon  course  of  four  miles."  The  Derby  race  is 
over  a  course  I  mile  4  furlongs  29  yards.  Four  miles  is  rarely 
run.  A  popular  distance  is  one  and  one-fourth  or  one  and 
one-half  miles. 

The  early  improvement  of  the  Thoroughbred  dates  back  several 
hundred  years.  Since  the  time  of  James  I  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  oriental  sires  have  been  imported  into  England. 
The  keen  desire  for  a  running  horse  and  the  race  track  have 

1  In  England  pronounced  as  though  spelled  Darby. 

2  Henry  Curzon,  A  Mirror  of  the  Turf. 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  19 

resulted  in  the  development  of  the  Thoroughbred,  which  for  two 
hundred  years  or  more  has  been  bred  with  considerable  purity. 

Three  early  oriental  horses  introduced  into  England  during  the 
formative  period  of  the  Thoroughbred  exercised  a  most  important 
influence.  These  were  the  following : 

1 .  The  Godolphin  Barb,  also  known  as  Godolphin  Arabian,  was 
probably  foaled  in  Barbary  about  1724.    Later  he  found  his  way 
to  France  and  for  a  time  was  used  to  haul  a  water  cart.    About 
1728  he  was  taken  to  England  and  presented  to  Lord  Godolphin, 
who  always  insisted  that  the  horse  was  an  Arabian.    He  was  used 
in  the  stud  with  great  success.    His  blood  contributes  in  a  most 
important  degree  to  founding  the  Thoroughbred. 

2.  The  Byerly  Turk,  the  saddle  horse  of  Captain  Byerly,  used 
later  in  the  seventeenth  century  in  the  wars  of  William  in  Ireland, 
was  probably  brought  to  England  in  1689.    He  was  very  famous 
as  a  sire,  and  horses  descended  from  him  are  known  as  Byerly 
Turk  horses.    Of  the  famous  Thoroughbred  sires  in  England  a 
few  years  ago,  sixty  are  direct  descendants  of  this  horse. 

3.  The  Darley  Arabian,  supposed  to  be  a  pure  Maneghi  Arabian, 
was  bought  at  Aleppo,  Syria,  by  Mr.  Brewster  Darley,  as  a  gift 
to  his  brother  Mr.  John  B.  Darley  of  Aldby  Park,  near  York. 
This  horse  was  brought  to  England  in   1706.     He  was  a  dark 
bay  in  color,  with  a  blaze  on  face  and  white  on  three  feet,  and 
stood  about  1 5  hands  high.    To  the  Darley  Arabian  can  be  traced 
the  choicest  of  Thoroughbred  blood. 

These  three  oriental  horses  preceded  the  development  of  the 
Thoroughbred,  yet  their  blood  had  a  most  potent  influence  in 
establishing  the  breed  which  followed. 

Three  early  English  Thoroughbred  sires  of  great  prepotency, 
important  in  establishing  the  breed,  stand  out  as  really  great  an- 
cestors of  the  modern  speed  horse.  They  are  the  following  : 

i.  Herod  (King  Herod).  This  horse  was  foaled  in  1758  and 
was  bred  by  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  a  brother  of  George  II. 
He  was  used  on  the  race  course  for  a  time  and  was  then  retired 
to  the  stud.  He  is  said  to  have  sired  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  prize  winners  on  various  race  courses,  and  it  is  estimated 
that  they  won  for  their  owners  ,£201,505,  or  over  one  million 
dollars.  Herod  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Byerly  Turk. 


20  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

2.  Matchem.    One  of  the  important  sons  of  the   Godolphin 
Barb  was  named   Cade.     He  proved  to  be  an  indifferent  race 
horse,  but  a  great  sire  owing  to  his  superior  blood  and  confor- 
mation.   Matchem,  his  best-known  son,  became  a  great  racer  as 
well  as  a  prominent  sire.    It  is  stated  that  he  made  a  record  on 
the  Beacon  course  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  in  1:44.    He  also  became 
well  known  for  the  excellence  of  his  progeny  in  speed  quality,  for 
he  sired  three  hundred  and  fifty-four  sons  and  daughters  that  were 
winners  of  races.   Matchem  was  foaled  in  1748  and  died  in  1781. 

3.  Eclipse.    The  Darley  Arabian  was  the  sire    of  two   great 
horses  in  their  day  —  notably  Flying  Childers  (also  known  as  The 
Devonshire)  and  Bartlett's  Childers.    The  former  was  a  chestnut 
horse  with   four  white   feet  and  was  the  fastest  horse  on  the 
English  turf  up  to  his  time.    Bartlett's  Childers  was  never  trained 
to  race,  but  was  used  in  the  stud  instead.    A  grandson  of  his, 
named  Marske,  bred  to  the  mare  Spiletta,  was  the  sire  of  Eclipse, 
foaled  in  1764  during  a  great  eclipse,  from  which  he  takes  his 
name.    From  two  points  of  view  this  horse  may  be  regarded  as 
perhaps  the  greatest  in  history  —  one  as  a  racer,  the  other  as  a 
progenitor  of  racers.    He  was  bred  by  the  Duke  of  Cumberland, 
and  at  the  sale  of  his  stud  brought  75  guineas.    He  was  five  years 
old  before  going  on  the  turf,  running  first  at  Epsom.    In  his 
second  race,  at  York,   he  distanced  his  competitors.    In    1769 
Dennis   O' Kelly  bought  him  for    1650  guineas  ($8250).    As  a 
racer  he  distanced  some  of  the  best  horses  of  his  time.    Finally, 
as  no  one  would  race  against  him,  he  closed  his  racing  career  of 
seventeen  months  by  walking  over  the  Newmarket  race  course 
for  the  King's   Plate  in  October,   1770.    In   1779  O 'Kelly  was 
asked  by  one  of  the  Bedford  family  for  his  price  on  Eclipse,  and 
he  replied  that  "  all  Bedford   Level  would  not  purchase  him." 
From  another   person   he   asked  $125,000   and   an  annuity  of 
$2500  for  life. 

Eclipse  won  eleven  King's  Plates,  and  O 'Kelly  cleared  ,£25,000 
on  him.  In  historical  descriptions  of  this  horse  he  is  said  to  have 
been  about  15^  hands  high ;  his  shoulders  were  very  low  and 
oblique  and  thick  above,  while  he  stood  high  behind.  He  had  a 
great  loin,  very  long  quarters,  powerful  and  long  thighs  and  fore- 
arms, and  his  stride  was  very  wide.  He  was  so  thick  winded 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  21 

that  he  could  be  heard  some  distance.  He  was  of  fine  disposition, 
and  in  a  race  he  took  his  own  gait,  rushing  along  with  his  head 
down,  indifferent  to  his  jockeys,  who  found  it  impossible  to  hold 
him  in.  Eclipse  sired  three  hundred  and  thirty-four  winners  of 
races.  He  died  in  1789,  aged  twenty-five  years.  This  horse  was* 
a  direct  descendant  of  the  Darley  Arabian,  and  the  very  best  of 
British  and  American  racing-horse  blood  traces  its  source  from 
these  two  great  sires. 

Of  these  three  English-bred  stallions  Eclipse  as  a  breeder 
was  most  important,  especially  in  the  male  line  of  descent,  while 
Matchem  was  least  so.  The  influence  of  both  the  oriental  and 
English  sires  on  the  creation  of  the  Thoroughbred  as  a  breed 
has  been  very  profound,  but  without  doubt  numerous  females 
have  had  an  important  part.  However,  much  less  is  known 
of  the  personality  and  breeding  of  the  mares  than  of  the  sires. 
C.  Bruce  Lowe,  in  an  elaborate  study  of  speed  lines  of  many  great 
Thoroughbreds,  compiles  a  list  of  forty-four  important  foundation 
mares.  At  the  head  of  that  list  he  places  first  TregonweWs 
Natural  Barb  Mare  ;  second,  Burton  s  Barb  Mare ;  third,  Dam 
of  two  True  Blues. 

The  origin  of  the  Thoroughbred  commences  with  the  union 
of  Arabian,  Barb,  and  Turkish  blood  with  the  lighter  type  of 
English  horse.  From  this  amalgamation  came  great  stamina, 
remarkable  speed,  unusual  endurance,  and  great  symmetry  of 
form.  No  other  European  breed  of  horses  at  the  present  time 
shows  so  much  purity  of  breeding  as  does  the  Thoroughbred, 
notwithstanding  the  early  combination  of  blood.  For  many  years 
animals  recorded  in  the  "  General  Studbook  "  have  been  regarded 
as  free  of  all  impure  breeding. 

The  conformation  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  distinctive.  The  head 
should  be  fine  and  lean  and  moderately  small,  bearing  evidence 
of  quality  and  breeding ;  eyes  prominent  and  intelligent ;  ears  of 
medium  size,  not  too  wide  apart,  and  carried  in  a  lively  manner. 
The  neck  should  be  long,  the  upper  part  from  withers  to  poll 
being  about  twice  as  long  as  the  lower  part  from  point  of  shoulder 
to  larynx,  and  strongly  muscular.  The  shoulders  should  slope 
obliquely  back  to  a  notable  degree,  be  strongly  muscled,  and 
extend  back  to  form  high,  fairly  close,  long  withers ;  no  collar 


22 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


heaviness  should  be  noticeable.  The  chest  tends  to  narrow  rather 
than  broad  conformation,  with  good  depth,  yet  able  authorities 
prefer  a  broad  rather  than  deep  and  narrow  chest.  The  body 
should  be  somewhat  circular  in  type,  with  a  depth  at  the  withers 
rather  less  than  half  the  height,  with  a  length  equal  to  the  height 
at  withers  and  croup  ;  the  back  and  loins  should  be  comparatively 
broad,  level,  and  muscular ;  the  ribs  well  sprung  and  of  enough 


FIG.  7.    Hanover,  a  Thoroughbred  stallion  foaled  in  1884.    A  famous  runner, 

starting  in  fifty  races,   winning  thirty-two,   securing  $120,912  in  prize   money. 

The  leading  sire  of  prize  winners  from  1895  to  1898  inclusive.   From  photograph 

by  courtesy  of  the  Thoroiighbred  Record 

depth  to  show  good  feeding  capacity.  The  croup  is  carried  high 
and  tends  to  be  long,  rather  level,  curving  gracefully,  with  the  tail 
attached  medium  high.  The  hind  quarter  is  one  of  the  features 
of  the  Thoroughbred,  being  long  and  strongly  muscled,  exhibiting 
great  driving  power;  the  gaskins,  or  lower  thighs,  should  be 
broad.  The/0^  leg  should  be  muscular  and  strong  in  arm  and 
long  and  wide  in  forearm,  with  comparatively  little  width  between 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  23 

the  legs.  A  rather  broad,  strong  knee,  supported  by  a  short,  flat 
cannon  bone  extending  well  back,  is  desirable.  The  hind  leg  at 
the  hocks  ought  to  be  deep,  clean,  free  from  fleshiness,  and  be 
supported  by  a  short,  flat,  clean  cannon  bone.  The  pastern  joint 
should  be  smooth,  placed  true,  and  in  harmony  with  the  leg  as  a 
whole.  The  pasterns  should  be  rather  long  and  slanting,  yet 
strong,  clean,  and  springy,  being  carried  at  an  angle  of  about 
45  degrees.  The  feet  should  be  of  medium  size,  wide  and  high 
at  the  heel,  concave  below,  and  be  carried  straight  and  true.  In 
order  to  secure  speed  it  is  essential  that  the  knees  and  hocks 
move  smoothly  and  freely  and  that  this  movement  be  true.  The 
gait  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  essentially  the  gallop,  which  horses 
of  this  breed  show  to  perfection. 

The  height  of  the  Thoroughbred  ranges  from  14!  to  i6J  hands, 
but  15  to  I5-J  is  most  approved.  It  is  probable  that  this  breed 
has  increased  in  height  with  its  development.  About  the  middle 
of  the  last  century  Rous  asserted  that  the  breed  had  increased  a 
hand  in  height  during  the  preceding  hundred  years.  Sir  Walter 
Gilbey  states  that  "from  an  average  height  of  14  hands  in  1700 
the  breed  has  been  graded  up  to  an  average  of  1 5  hands  2\  inches 
in  the  year  1900." 

The  weight  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  quite  variable,  but  in  gen- 
eral ranges  from  900  to  1050  pounds. 

The  color  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  variable.  Bays  and  browns 
are  quite  general  and  most  popular,  though  chestnuts  frequently 
occur,  while  blacks,  grays,  and  roans  may  be  found. 

The  temperament  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  nervous  and  mettle- 
some, this  horse  being  endowed  with  great  spirit  and  endurance 
in  the  race.  Frequently  riders  have  great  difficulty  in  restraining 
their  horses  at  the  opening  of  a  race,  so  impatient  are  they  to 
make  the  start. 

A  list  of  famous  British  Thoroughbreds  might  include  a  large 
number  of  animals.  The  following  horses  have  attained  great 
fame  on  the  British  turf  and  may  be  regarded  as  among  the  very 
best  representatives  of  the  breed.  This  brief  list,  which  covers 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  gives  the  date  of  foaling  and 
the  name  of  sire  and  dam  in  each  case:  Squirt,  1732,  by  Bart- 
lett's  Childers,  out  of  the  Snake  mare  ;  Pot-8-os,  1773,  by  Eclipse, 


24  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

out  of  Sportsmistress ;  Woodpecker,  1773,  by  Herod,  out  of  Mis- 
fortune; Highflyer,  1774,  by  Herod,  out  of  Rachael ;  Sir  Peter 
Teazle  (also  known  as  Sir  Peter),  1784,  by  Highflyer,  out  of 
Papillon ;  Waxy,  1790,  by  Pot-8-os,  out  of  Maria  by  Herod; 
Whalebone,  1 807,  by  Waxy,  out  of  Penelope  ;  Tramp,  1 8 1  o,  by 
Dick  Andrews,  dam  by  Gohanna ;  Whisker,  1812,  by  Waxy,  out 
of  Penelope;  Sir  Hercules,  1826,  by  Whalebone,  out  of  Peri; 
Touchstone,  1831,  by  Camel,  out  of  Banter;  Irish  Bird  Catcher, 
J833,  by  Sir  Hercules,  out  of  Guiccioli ;  Gladiator,  1833,  by 
Partisan,  out  of  Pauline;  Fatigh-a-Ballagh,  1841,  by  Sir  Her- 
cules, out  of  Guiccioli;  Orlando,  1841,  by  Touchstone,  out  of 
Vulture  ;  The  Baron,  1842,  by  Irish  Bird  Catcher,  out  of  Echidna  ; 
Stockwell,  1849,  by  The  Baron,  out  of  Pocahontas ;  Kingston, 
1849,  by  Venison,  out  of  Queen  Anne;  King  Tom,  1851,  by 
Harkaway,  out  of  Pocahontas;  Blair  Athol,  1861,  by  Stockwell, 
out  of  Blink  Bonny ;  Hermit,  1864,  by  Newminster,  out  of  Seclu- 
sion ;  Robert  The  Devil,  1877,  by  Bertram,  out  of  Cast  Off; 
Bend  Or,  1878,  by  Doncaster,  out  of  Rouge  Rose;  St.  Simon, 
1 88 1,  by  Gallopin,  out  of  St.  Angela;  Isinglass,  1890,  by  Ison- 
omy,  out  of  Deadlock;  Persimmon,  1893,  by  St.  Simon,  out  of 
Perdita  II;  Flying  Fox,  1896,  by  Orme,  out  of  Vampire; 
Diamond  Jubilee,  1897,  by  St.  Simon;  Rock  Sand,  1900,  by 
Sainfoin,  out  of  Roquebrune. 

Importations  of  Thoroughbreds  to  America  were  made  at  a 
comparatively  early  date,  and  some  of  the  most  famous  horses  of 
the  breed  found  their  way  to  the  United  States  during  the  eight- 
eenth century.  The  first  to  come  to  America  is  said  to  have  been 
the  horse  Bulle  Rock,  imported  to  Virginia  in  1730.  Diomed, 
winner  of  the  first  Derby  ever  run,  was  imported  in  1 799  at  twenty- 
two  years  of  age.  Messenger,  imported  in  1788  as  a  Thoroughbred 
to  improve  the  running  horse,  became  a  distinguished  progenitor 
of  trotters.  Fearnought  (177 5),  Buzzard  (1787),  Shark  (1771), 
Alderman  (1787),  Pantaloon  (1778),  Highflyer  (1784),  Saltram 
(1780),  and  Matchem  (1773)  represent  eminent  early  importations. 
The  men  of  Virginia,  South  Carolina,  Maryland,  and  Kentucky, 
from  very  early  days,  showed  great  interest  in  Thoroughbreds  and 
promoted  the  race  track.  In  1665  the  first  track  in  America, 
known  as  the  Newmarket  course,  was  established  at  Hempstead 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  25 

Plains,  Long  Island,  New  York,  by  Governor  Nicolls.  In  1760  a 
Newmarket  course  was  also  established  at  Charleston,  South 
Carolina.  Among  the  many  Thoroughbreds  imported  to  America 
since  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  following  are 
noteworthy:  Sarpedon,  1828,  by  Emilius,  out  of  Icaria ;  Glencoe, 
1831,  by  Sultan,  out  of  Trampoline;  Leamington ,  1853,  by 
Faugh-a-Ballagh,  out  of  Daughter  of  b.m. ;  Bonnie  Scotland, 
I^53,  by  lago,  out  of  Queen  Mary;  Australian,  1858,  by  West 
Australian,  out  of  Emilia;  Phaeton,  1865,  by  King  Tom,  out  of 
Merry  Sunshine;  Prince  Charlie,  1869,  by  Blair  Athol,  out  of 
Eastern  Princess;  Rayon  d'Or,  1876,  by  Flageolet,  out  of  Aura- 
caria;  St.  Blaise,  1880,  by  Hermit,  out  of  Fusee;  Kingston, 
1882,  by  Flageolet;  Ormonde,  1884,  by  Bend  Or,  out  of  Lily 
Agnes;  Sysonby,  1901,  by  Melton,  out  of  Optime. 

Thoroughbreds  of  American  breeding  that  have  attained  great 
prominence  date  from  about  1800,  but  this  list  is  not  a  long 
one.  The  following  are  of  special  distinction,  though  others  of 
merit  might  be  mentioned  :  Sir  Arc hy,  1805,  by  Diomed,  out  of 
Castianira ;  American  Eclipse,  1814,  by  Duroc,  out  of  Miller's 
Damsel ;  Boston,  1833,  by  Timoleon,  out  of  Sister  to  Tuckahoe ; 
Lexington,  1850,  by  Boston,  out  of  Alice  Carneal ;  Norfolk, 
1860,  by  Lexington,  out  of  Novice  ;  Longfellow,  1867,  by  Leam- 
ington, out  of  Nantura ;  Parole,  1874,  by  Leamington,  out  of 
Maiden;  Himyar,  1875,  by  Alarm,  out  of  Hira ;  Luke  Black- 
burn, 1877,  by  Bonnie  Scotland,  out  of  Nevada;  Iroquois,  1878, 
by  Leamington,  out  of  Maggie  B.B. ;  The  Bard,  1883,  by  Long- 
fellow, out  of  Brademante ;  Firenzi,  1884,  by  Glenelg,  out  of 
Florida;  Hanover,  1884,  by  Hindoo,  out  of  Bourbon  Belle;  Sal- 
vator,  1886,  by  Prince  Charlie,  out  of  Salina ;  Hamburg,  1891, 
by  Hanover,  out  of  Lady  Reel. 

Thoroughbred  sires  of  winners  on  the  course  vary  greatly  in 
degrees  of  distinction.  Many  sires  have  but  small  opportunity, 
owing  to  short  lives  or  to  being  owned  by  men  who  have  no  oppor- 
tunity to  use  them  in  the  stud  in  an  important  degree.  The 
horse  Lexington  was  one  of  the  greatest  sires  in  the  history  of 
the  American  turf,  and  during  seven  different  years  his  progeny 
were  the  leading  winners.  In  twenty-one  seasons  he  sired  600 
horses,  of  which  236  were  winners  of  races.  During  fifteen  years 


26  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

his  offspring  won  a  total  of  $1,159,321.  Two  imported  horses, 
Leamington  and  Bonnie  Scotland,  left  a  strong  impress  on*  run- 
ning horse  blood.  Leamington  was  used  in  the  stud  in  England 
and  in  1865  was  purchased  for  $7500  by  Mr.  Cameron  and 
brought  to  America.  Miss  Theo,  by  Leamington,  was  a  noted 
brood  mare,  and  Parole,  a  son,  was  a  famous  racer.  Hanover,  by 
Hindoo,  was  one  of  the  more  recent  great  American-bred  sires, 
being  foaled  in  1884.  He  not  only  possessed  great  speed  but 


FIG.  8.   Lamplighter,  a  Thoroughbred  racer  and  sire  in  the  stud  of  Milton  Young, 

Lexington,  Kentucky.   One  of  the  leading  sires  of  1904  and  1905  winners.   From 

photograph  by  the  author 

transmitted  this  quality  to  many  sons  and  daughters.  The  horse 
Kingston,  that  died  in  1912  at  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  raced 
for  nine  years  and  sired  many  winners. 

The  speed  record  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  faster  than  that  of 
any  other  horse.  Races  with  this  breed  are  run  under  the  saddle, 
with  jockeys  up.  A  light,  skillful  jockey  is  needed  in  the  saddle. 
A  very  satisfactory  jockey  weight  is  1 10  to  115  pounds,  but  many 
great  races  have  been  won  with  weight  up  to  125  pounds.  The 
fastest  record  by  a  Thoroughbred  up  to  1918  was  that  of  1:35^ 
by  Salvator  on  a  straightaway  track  of  one  mile,  in  1890,  at 
Monmouth  Park,  New  Jersey.  However,  on  August  21,  1918,  the 
horse  Roamer  at  Saratoga,  New  York,  reduced  the  record  to  i'34^. 
On  the  Harlem  standard  track,  in  1903,  Dick  Wells  ran  a  mile 
in  i:37f .  Only  a  few  days  before  Alan-a-Dale  had  passed  around 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  27 

the  Washington  Park  track,  making  the  mile  in  1:37^.  In  1910 
Fashion  Plate  made  a  mile  in  i:37|  in  the  Metropolitan  Handicap, 
which  record  was  again  equaled  in  the  same  race  in  1914  by 
Buskin.  The  above  are  the  fastest  mile  records  up  to  1919  in- 
clusive. In  1855  Lexington  ran  four  miles  in  7:i9|,  winning 
$20,000  in  a  race  against  time.  In  1876  Ten  Broeck,  in  a  race 
against  time,  lowered  the  four-mile  record  to  7:i5|.  This  same 
year  he  made  a  mile  in  i:39f,  which  was  the  record  for  about 
thirteen  years.  In  1881  Luke  Blackburn,  a  very  famous  runner, 
then  four  years  old,  made  a  mile  at  Jerome  Park  in  1:45.  In 
1880  he  also  made  a  record  of  2:34  for  a  mile  and  a  half,  which 
was  not  lowered  for  many  years. 

Thoroughbred  records  of  the  English  Derby  are  regarded  as  of 
first  importance.  The  winners  from  1900  to  the  present  day 
have  furnished  some  of  the  most  remarkable  speed  in  the  history 
of  that  historic  course.  The  following  are  the  more  recent  records  : 


YEAR 

NAME  OF  HORSE 

SIRE 

TIME 

IQOO 

Diamond  Jubilee 

St.  Simon 

2:42 

IQOI 

Volodyovski 

Florizel 

2:4of 

1902 

Ard  Patrick 

St.  Florian 

2:42-1 

1903 

Rock  Sand 

Sainfoin 

2:42| 

1904 

St.  Amant 

Frusquin 

2:42f 

19°5 

Cicero 

Cyllene 

2=39f 

1906 

Spearmint 

Carbine 

2:36^ 

1907 

Orby 

Orme 

2:44 

1908 

Signorinetta 

Chaleureux 

2:39^ 

1909 

Minoru 

Cyllene 

2:42f 

1910 

Lemberg  1 

Cyllene 

2=351 

1911 

Sunstar 

Sunbridge 

2:36| 

1912 

Tagalic 

Cyllene 

2=38f 

J9T3 

Aboyeur 

Desmond 

2:37! 

19142 

Durbar  II 

Rabelais 

2:38 

Thoroughbred  records  on  the  American  turf  of  special  interest 
are  those  made  in  the  Futurity  and  in  the  Suburban  Handicap, 
Sheepshead  Bay,  New  York ;  the  Brooklyn  Handicap,  Grave- 
send,  New  York ;  the  Metropolitan  Handicap,  Belmont  Park, 
New  York  ;  the  Brighton  Handicap,  Brighton  Beach,  New  York  ; 


1  Record  time. 


,  1916,  1917,  1918,  abandoned  owing  to  the  war.' 


28 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


the  Excelsior  Handicap,  Jamaica,  New  York ;  and  the  Saratoga 
Handicap,  Saratoga,  New  York.  During  the  winter  season  running 
races  are  conducted  in  the  South,  more  especially  at  New  Orleans. 
The  following  are  the  more  recent  winning  records  of  the 
Suburban  Handicap,  over  a  course  of  one  and  one-fourth  miles, 
and  of  the  Futurity,  over  a  course  of  six  furlongs. 

SUBURBAN  HANDICAP 


YEAR 

NAME  OF  HORSE 

TIME 

VALUE  OF  PURSK 

1904 

Hermis 

2:05 

$16,800 

1905 

Beldame 

2:05! 

16,800 

I906 

Go-  Between 

2:05! 

16,800 

1907 

Nealon 

2:o6f 

16,800 

1908 

Ballot 

2:03 

19,750 

1909 

Fitz  Herbert 

2:03f 

3.850 

1910 

Olambala 

2:o4f 

6,OOO 

T9J3 

Whisk  Broom  II 

2:00 

3,000 

19151 

Stromboli 

2:05! 

5,000 

THE  FUTURITY 


YEAR 

NAME  OF  HORSE 

TIME 

VALUE  OF  PURSE 

1904 

Artful 

:il| 

$42,880 

1905 

Ormondale 

'»* 

38,680 

1906 

Electioneer 

«3l 

37.270 

1907 

Colin 

'»* 

24,830 

1908 

Maskette 

:iii 

24,985 

1909 

Sweep 

"if 

25,710 

1910 

Novelty 

:I2| 

IO,OOO 

1913 

Pennant 

:I5 

I  5,000 

1914 

Trojan 

:i6* 

16,010 

!9'5 

Thunderer 

:"f 

23.45° 

Thoroughbred  winnings  in  money,  prior  to  the  World  War, 
amounted  to  very  large  sums.  This  is  brought  out  by  Lieutenant 
R.  M.  Danford  in  a  striking  way,  in  the  following  reference2  to 
the  Castleton  Stud  of  Kentucky,  long  owned  by  James  R.  Keene, 
one  of  the  greatest  promoters  of  the  Thoroughbred  : 


1  Not  run  in  1914. 

2  Bit  and  Spur,  February,  1912. 


THE  THOROUGHBRED  29 

The  first  five  names  on  the  list  of  America's  greatest  winning  races  horses 
are  Domino  $193,550,  Sysonby  $184,430,  Colin  $180,912,  Ballot  $154,545 
and  Kingston  $141,823.  Sysonby  was  imported  in  utero  and  raised  on  the 
farm.  On  the  list  of  great  American  winners  are  the  following  horses  bred  at 
the  farm:  Peter  Pan,  with  $116,450;  Delhi,  with  $115,640;  Maskette,  with 
$77,090;  Novelty,  with  $72,630;  and  Commando,  with  $58,196.  These, 
together  with  numerous  turf  stars  of  less  brilliancy,  placed  Mr.  Keene  at  the 
head  of  the  list  of  winning  owners  in  America  in  1905,  1906,  1907,  and  1908, 
and  in  1907  made  him  the  world's  retard  winning  owner,  having  that  year  to 
his  credit  the  remarkable  sum  of  $406,591.  The  next  largest  winning  owner 
is  the  Duke  of  Portland,  who,  in  1889,  won  on  the  English  turf  an  amount 
equal  to  $365,872.63.  The  winnings  of  the  farm  [Castleton]  have  exceeded  the 
enormous  sum  of  $2,000,000. 

Prices  paid  for  Thoroughbred  horses  have  reached  higher 
figures  than  for  any  other  breed.  In  1913  J.  B.  Joel  paid  about 
$200,000  for  Prince  Palatine  (sire,  Persimmon ;  dam,  Lady 
Lightfoot),  the' winner  in  1911  of  the  St.  Leger  and  in  1912  of 
the  Ascot  gold  cup,  Eclipse  stakes,  Doncaster  cup,  and  the 
Jockey  Club  stakes.  Also  in  1913  Edmund  Blanc  of  France 
paid  $200,000  for  White  Knight,  by  Desmond,  owned  by 
W.  R.  Wynham  of  England.  In  1904  Flying  Fox,  at  the  sale 
of  the  Duke  of  Westminster,  sold  for  $187,500.  In  1912  Rock 
Sand,  that  had  cost  August  Belmont  $125,000,  was  sold  by  him 
at  thirteen  years  of  age  for  $  1 50,000.  Diamond  Jubilee,  Ormonde, 
and  Cyllene  also  each  sold  for  $150,000.  Commenting  on  the 
high  prices  paid  for  Thoroughbreds,  Mr.  J.  I.  Teasdale  says:1 

At  a  sale  in  Sydney,  Australia,  in  Easter  week  ( 1 9 1  o),  3  8  5  yearlings  were  sold  for 
an  average  of  over  $9  7  2  each.  At  the  Doncaster  yearling  sales  in  September,  191 1, 
298  lots  averaged  $1905.  In  Argentina  recently  188  yearlings  sold  at  an  aver- 
age of  nearly  $6500;  12  Cyllene  colts  made  an  average  of  $15,000,  and  8 
fillies  made  an  average  of  $7500.  Thirteen  Polar  Star  colts  made  an  average 
of  $9500,  and  10  fillies  averaged  $6000.  Seven  colts  and  7  fillies  by  Diamond 
Jubilee  fetched  respectively  an  average  of  $8000  and  $4000.  Fourteen  Jardy 
colts  reached  an  average  of  $10,000,  and  6  fillies  an  average  of  $5000.  The 
Vale  d'Or  colts  averaged  $4500,  the  10  fillies  $5000. 

The  distribution  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  world-wide  in  regions 
where  the  Caucasian  race  prevails  and  where  horses  are  kept  for 
racing  purposes.  England  is  the  native  home  of  the  breed,  but 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  November  22,  1911. 


30  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

to-day  it  is  bred  in  all  Great  Britain.  France  has  long  maintained 
noted  studs  of  Thoroughbreds,  while  Germany,  Austria-Hungary, 
Italy,  Russia,  Argentina,  and  the  United  States  have  had  important 
studs. 

A  Thoroughbred  studbook,  known  as  the  "  General  Studbook 
of  Great  Britain,"  is  published  in  England.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  "An  Introduction  to  a  General  Studbook"  was  pub- 
lished in  1791,  while  in  1808  there  was  published  the  first  vol- 
ume of  "  The  General  Stud-Book,  containing  pedigrees  of  Race 
Horses,  etc.,  etc.,  from  the  earliest  accounts  to  the  year  1807, 
inclusive."  This  was  the  first  pedigree  book  of  any  kind  up  to 
this  time.  This  publication  has  been  continued  ever  since  under 
the  same  title  of  the  "  General  Studbook,"  being  published  in 
London.  In  America  M  The  American  Thoroughbred  Studbook  " 
is  published  by  the  American  Jockey  Club,  with  headquarters 
in  New  York.  Studbooks  for  this  breed  are  also  published  in 
France  and  Argentina. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE 

The  native  home  of  the  American  saddle  horse  embraces  the 
more  fertile  sections  of  the  states  of  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Missouri.  Within  latitudes  35°-38°  N.  and  includ- 
ing a  distance  westward  from  the  Virginia  coast  of  almost  one 
thousand  miles,  we  find  the  territory  within  which  this  compara- 
tively new  breed  has  been  developed.  Amid  blue-grass  fields  and 
in  the  hands  of  the  better-class  farmers  and  horse  lovers  of  the 
South,  the  American  saddle  horse  has  reached  a  high  stage  of 
perfection.  Much  of  this  improvement  has  been  brought  about 
in  Kentucky  ;  hence  the  common  term  "  Kentucky  saddle  horse." 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  has  long  been  regarded  as  the  great  center 
of  breed  activity. 

The  ancestry  of  the  American  saddle  horse  involves  several 
rather  distinct  families  of  American-bred  horses  and  one  long- 
established  British  breed,  the  Thoroughbred.  Early  in  the  history 
of  Kentucky  —  when  railroads  were  unknown  and  bridle  paths, 
trails,  and  poor  roads  were  common  —  horseback  riding  was  not 
only  necessary  but  universal.  The  early  saddle  horses  were  hard- 
gaited,  and  this  resulted  in-  the  selection  of  the  better  type  of 
Thoroughbreds,  easy  of  gait  and  light  of  foot,  some  of  which 
found  their  way  into  Kentucky  from  Virginia.  Mares  with  an 
ambling,  or  slow-pacing,  gait  were  sought  for  and  found  many 
years  ago,  and  to  them  Thoroughbred  saddle  stallions  of  easy 
movement  were  bred.  The  pacing  blood  came  in  part  from 
Canada  and  New  England  and  so  involved  some  Morgan  breed- 
ing. Thus,  by  selection  there  developed  a  class  of  very  easy- 
gaited  saddlers.  The  significance  of  Thoroughbred  blood  in  this 
early  development  is  brought  out  in  striking  manner,  as  shown 
in  the  blood  lines  in  Volume  I  of  the  "  American  Saddle  Horse 
Studbook,"  based  on  investigations  of  John  H.  Ward. 

31 


32  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

In  the  1 08 1  horses  registered  we  find  the  following  Thor- 
oughbred blood : 

Pure-bred  Thoroughbreds 2  horses 

Containing  50  per  cent  Thoroughbred  blood  ....  50  horses 
Containing  25  per  cent  Thoroughbred  blood  ....  296  horses 
Containing  i  T\  per  cent  Thoroughbred  blood  ....  343  horses 
Containing  6\  per  cent  Thoroughbred  blood  ....  152  horses 
Containing  3  per  cent  Thoroughbred  blood  .  .  .  .  36  horses 

Uncertain  breeding 202  horses 

Total  1 08 1  horses 

The  foundation  stock  of  the  American  saddle  horse,  as  agreed 
upon  by  the  American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Association,  after 
years  of  careful  investigation  and  as  revised  in  1902,  consists  of 
the  following  ten  stallions  : 

Denmark  (Thoroughbred),  by  imp.  Hedgeford 
John  Dillard,  by  Indian  Chief  (Canadian) 
Tom  /fa/ (imported  from  Canada) 
Cabelfs  Lexington,  by  Gist's  Black  Hawk  (Morgan) 
Coleman's  Eureka  (Thoroughbred  and  Morgan) 
Van  Meter's  Waxy  (Thoroughbred) 
Stump -The- Dealer  (Thoroughbred) 
Peter's  Halcorn,  Thoroughbred  on  sire's  side 
Davy  Crockett 
Pat  Cleburne,  by  Benton's  Gray  Diomed 

The  value  of  the  Thoroughbred  in  developing  the  American 
saddle  horse  is  set  forth  in  the  Breeders  Gazette  in  interesting 
manner  by  the  late  Charles  L.  Railey,  long  noted  as  a  leader  in 
the  improvement  of  the  saddle  horse.  After  referring  to  the 
hard  gait  of  the  Thoroughbred,  he  says : 

In  a  life  experience  I  do  not  recall  one  high-class  saddle  horse  that  was  strictly 
a  Thoroughbred.  I  have  bought  many  beautiful  specimens  of  the  Thorough- 
bred, and  tried  faithfully  to  develop  a  saddle  horse,  only  to  find  disastrous 
failure  in  each  instance.  The  Kentucky  breeder  long  ago  realized  that  the 
Thoroughbred  horse  was  the  foundation  from  which  to  build  for  fineness  of 
head  and  neck,  obliquity  of  shoulders,  texture  of  coat,  quality  of  bone  and  fluted 
leg;  and  while  retaining  these  qualities,  added  to  them  a  higher  carriage  of 
head,  more  action,  a  more  docile  temperament,  and  from  this  idea  was  evolved 
the  saddle-bred  horse  of  Kentucky. 


THE  AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE 


33 


The  characteristics  of  the  American  saddle  horse  are  similar 
in  many  respects  to  those  found  in  the  roadster  of  superior  con- 
formation. However,  he  is  notable  for  his  beautiful  head  and 
expressive  eye,  a  gracefully  arched  and  well-proportioned  neck, 
fairly  high  and  refined  withers,  a  short,  strong  back,  well  suited 
to  the  saddle,  a  long,  rather  level  croup,  and  high-set,  arched  tail. 
The  body  should  be  round  and  neatly  turned,  and  the  shoulders 
and  pasterns  must  be  long  and  sloping,  as  necessary  factors  in 
an  easy,  springy  gait. 
Not  infrequently  these 
horses  appear  to  lack 
in  depth  of  rib  and 
so  seem  somewhat 
upstanding.  This  is 
essentially  a  stylish 
breed,  as  shown  in 
the  jaunty  carriage  of 
head,  neck,  and  tail, 
and  as  evidenced  in 
the  nervous  tempera- 
ment commonly  seen 
in  American  saddle 
horses  of  good  breed- 
ing. "  From  an  artistic 
point  of  view,"  writes 
Gay,1  "he  is  perhaps 
the  most  beautiful  of 
all  horses,  being  the 
extreme  embodiment  of  quality  and  finish,  an  ideal  which  has 
been  fostered  by  the  so-called  *  model '  classes  of  Southern  shows. 
Some  have  been  bred  so  very  fine,  however,  as  to  be  markedly 
deficient  in  substance." 

The  size  of  the  American  saddle  horse  is  comparable  with 
that  of  the  average  roadster.  In  height  15^  to  I5f  hands  may 
be  regarded  with  favor,  while  the  weight  should  vary  between 
1000  to  1150  pounds.  For  ladies  the  lighter  type  is  preferred, 
while  for  heavy  weights  the  larger  horse  is  more  desirable.  An 

1  Carl  W.  Gay,  Productive  Horse  Husbandry.    Philadelphia,  1913. 


FIG.  9.  Woodland  Chief  2958,  an  American  saddle 
horse  at  twenty-one  years  of  age.     From  photo- 
graph by  Professor  J.  J.  Hooper 


34  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

average  height  may  be  placed  at  1 5 1  hands,  and  a  large  percentage 
of  these  horses  weigh  about  1050  pounds. 

The  color  of  the  American  saddle  horse  is  of  several  shades. 
Brown,  bay,  black,  and  chestnut  are  common,  while  gray  is  much 
less  so.  Some  families  tend  more  to  one  color  than  another, 
as,  for  example,  with  the  Denmarks  black  is  predominant,  while 
with  the  Chiefs  chestnut  prevails.  Color  is  not  regarded  as  of 
prime  importance. 

The  gaits  of  the  saddle  horse  are  especially  distinctive.  Sad- 
dlers may  be  divided  into  two  classes:  (i)  the  walk-trot-canter 
horse,  having  gaits  commonly  found  in  all  saddlers ;  and  (2)  the 
American  saddle  horse  in  particular,  having  the  walk,  trot,  canter, 
rack,  and  the  running  walk  or  fox  trot  or  slow  pace. 

A  comprehensive  discussion  of  the  gaits  of  the  saddle  horse, 
coming  from  the  pen  of  one  well  qualified  to  present  the  subject1 
and  long  identified  with  saddle-horse  interests,  the  writer  thinks 
appropriate  to  introduce  here. 

There  are  different  kinds  of  saddle  horses,  and  they  are  classified  in  part 
at  least  by  their  gaits.  The  three  natural  gaits  of  a  horse  are  the  walk,  trot, 
and  gallop,  or  run.  Artificially,  that  is,  by  education,  the  gallop  is  made  into  a 
canter,  which  is  a  gait  performed  by  practically  the  same  movement  of  the  legs, 
but  slower,  more  restrained,  and  easier  to  ride.  We  then  have  one  kind  of  a 
saddle  horse  called  the  walk-trot-canter,  GS  plain-gaited,  horse.  This  horse  suits 
a  lot  of  people,  primarily,  because  they  do  not  know  any  other  gait ;  secondarily, 
because  they  are  imitators  of  the  English  fashion  of  riding ;  and  lastly,  and 
leastly,  because  they  do  not  like  other  educated  and  easier  gaits. 

These  easier  gaits  are  the  running  walk  and  the  rack.  The  latter  is  also 
called  single  foot,  inasmuch  as  in  this  gait  each  foot  has  a  separate  impact 
on  the  ground,  no  two  of  them  striking  it  at  the  same  time,  as  in  the  trot 
and  pace, 

The  running  walk  is  called  a  slow  gait,  and  there  are  two  other  gaits  allied 
to  it,  —  the  slow  pace  and  the  fox  trot.  The  name  "  running  walk  "  defines 
the  gait  accurately,  and  at  once  identifies  it  to  the  understanding.  It  is  faster 
than  a  flat-foot  walk,  and  is  produced  by  a  movement  of  the  legs  more  rapid 
than  in  a  walk,  but  in  about  the  same  rhythm ;  that  is,  each  foot  strikes  the 
ground  independently  of  the  others.  Most  horses  going  the  running  walk  bob 
or  nod  their  heads,  and  some  of  them  even  flop  their  ears  in  rhythm  with  their 
footfalls.  It  is  an  all-day  gait,  easy  alike  to  the  horse  and  the  rider,  and  it 
covers  ground  at  an  astonishing  fashion  for  its  apparent  speed.  It  is  taught 
by  urging  a  horse  out  of  the  walk  but  restraining  him  from  a  trot. 

1  Editorial  by  the  late  W.  R.  Goodwin,  Jr.,  Breeders'  Gazette,  June  10,  1903 


THE  AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE 


35 


The  slow  pace  is  a  somewhat  similar  movement,  but  borders  more  on  the 
side-wheel  gait,  or  lateral  pace,  in  which  the  two  feet  on  one  side  of  a  horse 
strike  the  ground  at  the  same  instant.  The  true  pace,  however,  is  in  no  sense 
a  saddle  gait.  It  is  rough  and  uncomfortable.  A  rider  cannot  rise  to  it  and 
save  himself,  as  in  a  trot,  and  it  is  positively  the  worst  gait  a  saddle  horse  can 
possess.  In  the  slow  pace  this  side- wheel  motion  is  slightly  modified  so  that 
the  impact  on  the  ground  of  the  two  feet  on  a  side  is  broken,  thus  avoiding 
the  rolling  motion  of  the  true  pace.  The  slow  pace  is  a  very  comfortable  gait, 
and  is  very  showy,  especially  when  a  horse  throws  just  a  bit  of  knee  action 
into  it.  It  has  grown  common  in  the  show  ring  during  recent  years,  as  saddle- 
horse  trainers  appreciate  its  catchy  qualities  and  endeavor  to  teach  their  horses 
to  go  this  gait.  The  best 
saddle-horse  men,  however, 
do  not  look  on  it  with 
favor,  as  it  is  so  easily  cor- 
rupted into  the  abomina- 
ble side-wheel  pace,  which 
ruins  a  saddle  horse  for 
comfortable  and  satisfac- 
tory work.  Unless  a  rider 
is  careful  his  mount  may 
almost  imperceptibly  de- 
generate from  a  distinct 
and  correct  slow  pace  into 
a  plainly  defined  pace,  and 
then  there  is  sure-enough 
trouble. 

The  fox  trot  is  a  slow 
trot  or  a  jog  trot.  It  is  a 
rather  peculiar  gait  and 

not  so  desirable  as  the  running  walk  or  the  slow  pace.  Some  horses  cannot 
acquire  either  of  these  two  gaits,  and  so  their  trainers  pull  them  down  into  a 
very  slow  trot  and  seek  to  pass  that  gait  off  as  a  fox  trot.  It  is  a  broken-time 
gait,  in  a  measure,  somewhat  easier  than  a  pure  trot,  and  when  cleanly  per- 
formed it  will  answer  as  a  business  gait. 

The  trot  is  the  diagonal  gait.  The  off  fore  foot  and  the  near  hind  foot  strike 
the  ground  at  the  same  instant,  and  the  horse  bounds  off  them  to  hit  the 
ground  again  with  the  near  fore  and  the  off  hind.  This  gives  a  two-beat  gait. 
The  impact  of  the  feet  on  the  ground  is  one,  two,  one,  two. 

The  pace  is  the  lateral  gait.  The  off  fore  and  off  hind  foot  hit  the  ground 
at  the  same  interval,  and  the  other  pair  on  the  near  side  follow.  This  is  also  a 
two-beat  gait. 

The  rack  is  a  four-beat  gait.  Each  foot  hits  the  ground  at  a  separate  inter- 
val in  a  one-two-three-four  beat.  The  rack  can  be  distinguished  by  ear  as  far  as 
the  footfalls  of  the  horse  may  be  heard ;  each  foot  rings  clear  its  own  note  on 
the  hard  ground.  In  teaching  the  rack  the  horse  is  forced  forward  by  the  spur 


FIG.  10.  An  American  saddle  horse  showing  his  gaits 
at  the  fair.    Photograph  from  the  American  Breeder 


36  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

and  restrained  by  the  curb.  His  diagonal  gait  is  thereby  broken  up  and  he  flies 
into  a  four-beat  gait.  The  rack  is  easy  for  the  rider,  hard  for  the  horse.  It  is 
a  showy  gait,  and  is  performed  at  great  speed  sometimes.  The  trainer  who  has 
a  fast  racking  horse  will  generally  keep  him  on  that  gait  when  in  the  show 
ring,  hoping  to  dazzle  the  judge  by  the  flashiness  of  the  performance.  .  .  . 
This  gait  has  been  officially  named  the  rack  by  the  American  Saddle  Horse 
Breeders'  Association,  and  hence  the  name  "  single  foot"  should  not  be  used, 
as  it  merely  leads  to  confusion  among  the  uninformed. 

The  five  gaits  recognized  by  that  association  are  the  walk,  trot,  canter,  rack, 
and  the  running  walk,  or  slow  pace,  or  fox  trot.  Any  one  of  these  three  slow 
gaits  will  answer.  Some  horses  can  go  only  one  of  them,  some  can  show  them 
all.  When  a  horse  can  show  these  five  gaits  he  is  called  a  gaited  horse. 

Two  notable  families  of  American  saddle  horses  are  the  Den- 
mark and  the  Chief,  and  to  these  most  of  the  more  outstanding 
individuals  of  the  breed  largely  trace  their  ancestry. 

The  Denmark  family ,  as  indicated  on  page  32,  derives  its  name 
from  a  horse  named  Denmark,  sired  by  imported  Hedgeford. 
A  son  of  Denmark,  known  as  Gaines's  Denmark  61,  was  a  black 
horse  with  white  hind  feet  and  of  great  beauty.  He  transmitted  to 
his  offspring  not  only  beauty  but  also  graceful  action.  According 
to  the  late  David  Castleman,1  of  the  3000  entries  in  Volume  IV 
of  the  studbook,  1282,  or  42.7  per  cent,  have  a  direct  male  trace 
to  Denmark.  Of  these  Gaines's  Denmark  has  1277,  or  practi- 
cally a  perfect  percentage.  Of  the  n,977  entries  in  the  first 
four  volumes,  7311,  or  61.4  per  cent,  trace  to  Denmark,  while 
Gaines's  Denmark  traces  7311  lines  of  male  descent  to  7301  of 
his  sires.  A  son  of  Gaines's  Denmark  foaled  in  1855,  named 
Washington  Denmark  64,  transmitted  the  valued  features  of  this 
line  in  a  marked  degree.  Another  son,  Diamond  Denmark  68, 
was  the  sire  of  Montrose  106,  one  of  the  notable  sires  of  the 
breed.  Black  Squirrel  58  (foaled  in  1876,  sired  by  Black  Eagle 
74)  and  Rex  Denmark  840  (foaled  in  1884,  a  great  grandson  of 
Gaines's  Denmark)  hold  distinguished  places  in  this  remarkable 
family.  This  family  represents  the  more  refined  type  of  the 
American  saddle  horse,  individuals  tending  to  an  extreme  in  this 
respect  and  lacking  in  substance. 

The  Chief  family  has  its  fountainhead  in  Mambrino  Chief  II, 
a  trotter  foaled  in  1844  in  New  York  and  ten  years  later  taken 

1  American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Register,  Vol.  IV  (1911),  p.  VI. 


THE  AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE 


37 


to  Kentucky.  He  was  coarse  in  appearance,  bay  in  color,  stood 
about  1 6  hands,  and  never  sired  colts  of  quality,  though  he  pro- 
duced speed.  He  traced  back  three  generations  to  imported  Mes- 
senger, the  Thoroughbred.  Through  a  son,  Clark  Chief  89,  was 
sired  Harrison  Chief  1606,  who  in  turn  sired  eight  sons  of 


FIG.  u.   Gypsy  Queen,  an  outstanding  American  saddle  mare  and  prize  winner. 

First  in  class  at  the  Chicago  Horse  Show,  1903  and  1904.   From  a  photograph  by 

courtesy  of  Ball  Brothers,  Versailles,  Kentucky 

distinction,  Bourbon  Chief  976  being  especially  so.  This  latter 
sired  many  fine  sons  and  daughters,  through  whom  this  family 
came  into  marked  favor.  Bourbon  King  1 788,  by  Bourbon  Chief, 
foaled  in  1 900,  has  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  illustrious  sires  of 
this  family.  Horses  of  this  family  show  considerable  substance,  as  a 
rule,  and  may  appear  a  bit  coarse  in  comparison  with  the  Denmarks. 
The  Chief  and  Denmark  families  seem  to  blend  especially  well. 


38  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Prominent  American  saddle-horse  sires  additional  to  those  men- 
tioned under  the  preceding  families  are  the  following,  the  date 
of  foaling,  which  is  given  in  parenthesis,  indicating  the  period 
when  service  began:  Wilson's  Chief;  Harrison's  Chief  1606 
(1872);  Black  Squirrel  58(1876);  Chester  Dare  10(1882); 
Bourbon  Chief  976  (1883);  Forest  Squirrel  801  (1890);  High- 
land Denmark  730  (1890) ;  Rex  McDonald  883  (1890)  ;  Mont- 
gomery Chief  1361  (1897);  Dandy  Jim  2d  1531  (1900);  My 
Dare  2642  (1901) ;  My  Own  Kentucky  3764  (1901) ;  Kentucky 
Choice  3765  (1905);  and  Astral  King  2808  (1906).  The  above 
fourteen  horses  cover  a  period  of  thirty-four  years  of  foaling,  from 
that  of  Harrison's  Chief.  In  the  studbook  Wilson's  Chief  is  given 
no  registry  number  or  date  of  foaling,  being  an  early  foundation 
sire.  Rex  McDonald  833,  by  Rex  Denmark  840,  who  died  at 
twenty- three  years  of  age  in  1913,  was  regarded  not  only  as  almost 
a  perfect  specimen  of  a  gaited  saddle  horse  but  as  the  most 
impressive  sire  of  his  time. 

Noteworthy  American  saddle-horse  mares  are  Mollie,  dam  of 
Black  Squirrel  58  ;  Amelia  1 354,  by  Red  Eagle  28  ;  Patsy  Me  Cord 
1600,  by  Black  Squirrel;  Highland  Maid  1270,  by  Highland 
Denmark;  Emily  855,  by  Bourbon  Chief,  by  Harrison's  Chief 
3841  ;  Rowena  1362,  by  Chester  Dare  10,  by  Black  Squirrel  58  ; 
Miss  Rex  820,  by  Rex  Denmark;  and  Little  Kate  5851,  by 
Prince  of  Denmark  423. 

The  prices  paid  for  American  saddle  horses  often  run  into 
high  figures,  $500  to  $1000  not  being  uncommon.  There  is  but 
a  limited  supply  of  gaited  saddlers,  and  these  are  always  in 
demand  by  a  class  of  patrons  who  are  willing  to  pay  a  price  con- 
sistent with  merit.  In  1906  Major  David  Castleman  sold  the 
stallion  The  Moor  1907,  by  Cecil  Palmer,  for  $7500  to  General 
William  Palmer  of  Colorado  Springs.  This  same  year  General 
John  B.  Castleman  of  Kentucky  sold  the  mares  Eugenia  (by 
Highland  Denmark,  out  of  Emily)  and  Magna  (by  Cromwell,  Jr., 
out  of  Maria)  to  J.  A.  Davis  of  Massachusetts  for  $5000.  Rex 
McDonald  sold  for  $2500  as  a  six-year-old  and  later  for  $5000. 
In  1907  the  mare  Miss  Flirtation  sold  for  $6318.  Kentucky 
Choice  3765  sold  in  1909  for  $6000  and  later  changed  hands 
at  $7500,  In  1913  My  Major  Dare  4424  sold  for  $10,000,  the 


THE  AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE  %      39 

top  price  for  a  stallion  of  the  breed.  As  illustrative  of  the  high 
values  placed  on  these  horses  by  their  admirers,  it  is  reported 
that  $5000  was  refused  for  Black  Squirrel  at  eighteen  years  of 
age,  $7000  was  refused  for  Dandy  Jim,  and  $12,000  for  Bourbon 
King. 

The  American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Association  was  organ- 
ized at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  1891,  as  the  National  Saddle 
Horse  Breeders'  Association.  In  1899  the  name  was  changed  to 
the  American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Association.  Up  to  1919 
seven  volumes  of  the  studbook  have  been  published,  indicating 
a  registration  of  7500  stallions  and  13,500  mares. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  LIGHT  HARNESS  TYPE 

The  light  harness  horse,  or  roadster,  occupies  a  class  by  itself, 
representing  a  lighter  type  of  driver  than  the  coach  horse.  Such 
a  horse  is  desirable  for  speed  in  conveying  along  roadways  a 
light  driving  vehicle.  The  American  trotter  or  pacer  is  the  com- 
mon type  used  for  this  work.  Speed  and  endurance  seem  to  be 
the  principal  points  sought  in  the  roadster,  and  less  uniformity 
of  type  is  found  in  this  class  than  in  any  other.  Light  harness 
horses  vary  widely  in  height,  weight,  and  conformation. 

The  best  type  of  roadster  stands  from  15^  to  I5|  hands  high, 
although  he  may  vary  even  more  than  this.  A  desirable  weight 
ranges  from  1000  to  noo  pounds,  but  stallions  as  a  rule  weigh 
somewhat  more,  sometimes  exceeding  1250  pounds.  In  confor- 
mation this  horse  tends  to  be  angular,  the  muscles  and  joints 
showing  prominence,  with  the  ribs  more  or  less  noticeable.  There 
is  proportionately  less  body  and  more  leg,  a  thinner  neck,  with 
muscularity  at  the  croup  and  quarters. 

The  head  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  be  lean  and  shapely, 
the  profile  showing  quite  straight  from  poll  to  nose.  There  is  a 
tendency  for  stallions  to  have  a  slight  Roman  profile,  and  the 
mares  a  dished  face.  Coarseness  of  head  is  very  objectionable. 
The  ears  should  be  small  and  refined,  the  eyes  prominent  and 
clear,  the  nostrils  well  defined,  and  the  lips  thin  and  evenly  mated. 

The  neck  of  the  light  harness  horse  is  essentially  long,  lean, 
and  muscular.  Stallions  tend  to  have  a  slight  crest  of  neck,  while 
mares  frequently  are  lacking  in  depth  of  this  part,  having  what 
is  termed  a  ewe  neck.  Length  of  neck  is  naturally  associated 
with  speed,  while  shortness  shows  draft  character.  The  neck 
should  be  flexible  and  easily  bent  and  extended  —  important  factors 
in  establishing  equilibrium. 

The  shoulders  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  be  long  and 
especially  oblique  or  sloping,  because  the  horse  with  a  long,  oblique, 

40 


THE  LIGHT  HARNESS  TYPE  41 

light  shoulder  is  able  to  raise  the  fore  limb  and  advance  it  more 
easily  than  with  the  more  upright  shoulder.  Thickness  or  fullness 
of  shoulder,  especially  about  the  withers,  is  very  undesirable  in  a 
horse  of  this  type,  resulting  in  an  indifferent  gait. 

The  arms  and  forearms  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  be 
reasonably  muscular,  not  like  those  of  a  draft  horse,  but  as  indicat- 
ing strength  of  action.  Especially  should  the  muscles  back  of  the 
forearms  be  well  developed,  as  they  are  brought  into  active  use 
in  raising  the  fore  leg. 

The  cannons  of  the  light  harness  horse  are  usually  lean  and 
show  the  skin,  type  of  bone,  and  ligaments  very  clearly.  A  short, 
clean,  smooth  cannon  with  the  tendons  carried  well  back  and 
parallel  with  the  bone  are  prime  features  of  the  horse  with  rapid 
gait.  Long  cannon  bones  are  undesirable,  for  they  lack  the 
strength  of  the  shorter  ones.  Great  emphasis  is  placed  on  the 
cannons  being  clean  and  smooth,  with  no  roughness  or  evidence 
of  bone  disease. 

The  pasterns  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  be  comparatively 
long,  smooth,  and  strongly  carried  at  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees. 
The  shoulders  and  pasterns  have  much  work  to  do  in  common,  and 
the  pastern  that  is  long  and  springy  will  bear  concussion  much 
better  than  a  short  one.  The  long  pastern  allows  for  a  greater 
movement  of  the  fetlock  joint,  an  essential  if  speed  is  desired. 

The  foot  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  be  of  medium  size, 
wide  at  the  heel,  not  too  low  set  at  this  point,  and  have  a  well- 
developed  frog  and  strong  bars.  The  length  of  the  heel  should 
be  about  one  third  the  length  of  the  front  of  the  hoof. 

The  body  of  the  light  harness  horse  should  have  a  greater  rel- 
ative depth  than  breadth.  A  front  view  gives  a  greater  degree 
of  narrowness  than  obtains  with  the  draft  horse.  A  noted  English 
authority,  Hayes,  states  that  he  is  convinced  that  a  race  horse 
cannot  be  too  narrow  in  front.  The  high  elevation  of  the  withers 
and  their  lean,  long  appearance  add  to  the  general  effect  of  the 
depth  of  body.  Light  harness  horses  often  appear  to  lack  girth, 
or  are  termed  "  light  waisted."  Some  of  the  most  famous  trotters 
and  pacers  have  certainly  had  this  appearance  accentuated  by 
high  flanks.  The  back  should  be  strong,  well  carried,  with  a 
wide,  muscular  loin. 


42  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

The  hind  quarters  of  the  light  harness  horse  often  stand  slightly 
higher  than  the  fore  quarters  at  the  withers  and  have  a  lean  and 
somewhat  angular  appearance.  The  hips  should  be  muscular  to 
a  limited  extent  and  not  fleshy.  A  long,  wide,  comparatively 
level  croup  is  very  desirable.  Steepness  of  croup  is  common 
among  light  harness  horses,  more  especially  pacers.  Hayes  states 1 
that  "to  have  the  point  of  the  buttock  placed  high  and  project- 
ing well  to  the  rear  is  a  great  beauty,  which  may  be  seen  in 
some  Thoroughbreds  and  in  high-caste  Arabs."  The  gaskin 


FIG.  12.    Rhea  W.  and  Easter  Belle,  champion  roadsters  at  the  National  Horse 

Show,  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York,  1904.    The  property  of  Miss  K.  L. 

Wilks,  Gait,  Ontario,  Canada.   From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Miss  Wilks 

should  be  long,  broad,  and  muscular.  Length  and  strength  of 
gaskin  muscle  are  especially  important  if  speed  is  desired.  The 
stifle  joint  should  be  fairly  high  and  face  outward  enough  to 
permit  freedom  of  motion.  The  hock  should  be  lean  and  sharply 
defined,  with  no  tendency  to  fleshiness,  and  should  be  straight 
and  open  enough  to  permit  the  cannon  bone  to  hold  a  vertical 
line.  Such  a  leg  has  a  maximum  of  extension  in  producing  speed. 
Curved  or  sickle  hocks  are  often  seen  with  race  horses,  in  which 
case  the  natural  tendency  is  to  carry  the  hind  feet  well  under 
the  body  when  at  rest. 

1  The  Points  of  the  Horse,  p.  311. 


THE  LIGHT  HARNESS  TYPE  43 

The  action  of  the  light  harness  horse  is  one  of  his  most  valued 
features.  If  lacking  a  free,  easy,  fairly  speedy  gait,  he  is  of  in- 
ferior value.  The  walk  should  be  free  and  easy,  the  feet  being 
raised  with  snap  and  then  laid  upon  the  ground  with  decision,  and 
with  no  stumbling  tendency.  As  one  stands  behind  the  horse  in 
action  the  bottom  of  the  shoes  should  easily  be  seen.  As  watched 
from  the  side,  the  knees  and  hocks  should  appear  strongly  flexed 
and  the  stride  long,  representing  great  efficiency  of  motion.  A 
high  knee  action  is  undesirable,  but  a  long,  moderately  low  ex- 
tension is  sought.  The  action  should  be  true,  and  the  legs  move 
in  harmony  with  each  other. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER 

The  history  of  the  English  trotting  horse  goes  back  for  several 
centuries.  About  Norfolk  and  Yorkshire  trotters  were  great  favor- 
ites two  centuries  ago,  and  trotting  races  of  an  unofficial  char- 
acter were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Old  records  tell  us  that  the 
Norfolk  trotting  mare  Phenomena  in  1800  trotted  17  miles  in 
56  minutes  on  the  Huntingdon  road,  carrying  a  weight  in  saddle 
of  about  225  pounds,  In  1806  the  horse  Pretender  trotted  16 
miles  within  an  hour,  carrying  210  pounds.  All  the  early  racing 
records  were  made  under  the  saddle.  In  connection  with  the 
early  evolution  of  the  Hackney  its  use  as  a  trotter  and  racer 
became  popular. 

The  early  use  of  the  trotter  in  America  no  doubt  extends  back 
into  colonial  times,  though  to  what  degree  is  uncertain.  What 
were  probably  running  horses  were  taken  from  England  to  Massa- 
chusetts as  early  as  1629.  Horses  of  this  class  were  also  bred 
in  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas.  The  recorded  use  of  the  trotter 
in  America  extends  back  to  the  first  part  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. In  1802  a  law  forbidding  all  horse  racing  and  trotting  was 
enacted  in  New  York,  but  this  law  was  amended  in  1821  to 
permit  training,  pacing,  trotting,  and  running  of  horses  upon 
certain  regulated  courses  in  Queens  County  on  Long  Island. 
Early  trotting  records  take  us  back  to  June,  1806,  when  the 
horse  Yankee,  under  saddle,  trotted  a  mile  in  2:59  on  the  Harlem 
race  course,  New  York.  On  August  25,  1810,  a  horse  from 
Boston  is  reported  to  have  trotted  a  mile  at  Philadelphia  in  har- 
ness in  2:48^-.  Later,  in  1818,  Boston  Blue  made  an  authentic 
mile  in  3:00  at  Jamaica,  New  York.  This  record  compares  favor- 
ably with  English  records  in  Norfolk  and  elsewhere. 

A  most  important  trotting  blood  foundation  in  America  was  the 
importation  of  the  stallions  Messenger,  Diomed,  and  Bellfounder, 
whose  histories  are  worthy  of  special  mention. 

44 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  45 

Messenger,  commonly  known  as  Imported  Messenger,  was  a 
Thoroughbred,  his  pedigree  tracing  back  through  his  sire  to 
Flying  Childers  and  the  Darley  Arabian.  He  was  foaled  in  1780 
in  England  and  proved  a  successful  racer,  and  as  a  five-year-old 
won  the  King's  Plate.  Believing  that  he  would  do  valuable  serv- 
ice in  the  stud,  he  was  imported  to  the  United  States  in  May, 
1788.  Messenger,  however,  though  a  trotting  sire,  had  no  imme- 
diate descendants  that  proved  to  be  noted  trotters.  He  secured 
his  chief  fame  through  his  son  Mambrino,  a  Thoroughbred,  that 
in  turn  was  sire  of  Abdallah,  a  sire  of  trotters.  Messenger  was 
a  gray,  I5|  hands  high,  with  strong  loins  and  powerful  hind 
quarters.  He  was  in  stud  service  for  twenty  years  in  America, 
—  in  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and  New  York.  He  died  Janu- 
ary 28,  1808,  leaving  a  lineage  of  driving  horses  of  remarkable 
excellence. 

Diomed  (imported)  was  foaled  in  England  in  1777.  He  was  a 
Thoroughbred,  I5|  hands  high,  chestnut  in  color,  and  a  horse 
of  substance  and  great  muscular  power.  His  sire,  Florizel,  was 
by  the  famous  Herod,  out  of  a  daughter  of  Cygnet,  by  Godol- 
phin  Barb.  Diomed's  dam  Juno  was  by  Alcock's  Arabian,  while 
through  his  second  dam  he  traced  to  Godolphin  Barb  and  his 
third  dam  was  by  Flying  Childers.  Thus  it  is  seen  he  came 
from  the  fastest  Thoroughbred  ancestry.  He  was  a  successful 
race  horse  for  four  years,  when  he  retired  lame  and  was  Used  in 
service  in  England  until  1 799,  when  he  was  imported  to  Virginia. 
In  America  Diomed  proved  a  great  sire  of  race  horses.  One  of 
his  sons,  Sir  Archy,  has  been  designated  the  "  Godolphin  Arabian 
of  America"  l  and  was  one  of  the  fastest  racers  of  his  time.  In 
ninety  of  the  best  races  run  in  America  up  to  1844,  about  66 
per  cent  were  direct  descendants  of  Diomed.  "  The  name  of 
Diomed,"  says  Parlin,  "  is  found  more  frequently  in  the  pedigrees 
of  record-breaking  runners,  trotters,  and  pacers  in  this  country 
than  is  that  of  any  other  animal." 

Bellfoztnder,  known  as  Jary's  Bellfounder  in  England  and  as 

Imported  Bellfounder  in  the  United  States,  was  foaled  in  1815 

and  was  imported  from  Norfolk  in  1822.    He  was  a  bright  bay, 

with  black  mane,  tail,  and  legs,  stood  15  hands  high,  and  was  a 

1  S.  W.  Parlin,  The  American  Trotter,  p.  35.    Boston,  1905. 


46 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


natural  trotter.  At  the  time  he  was  brought,  to  America  he  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  very  fleetest  and  most  powerful  trotters 
and  is  said  to  have  trotted  17  miles  in  an  hour.  Velocity,  his 
dam,  trotted  16  miles  in  an  hour  on  the  Norwich  road  in  1806, 
while  two  years  later  she  is  reported  to  have  made  18  miles  in 
I  hour  and  47  seconds.  Thus  it  can  be  seen  how  a  strong  line 
of  trotting  blood  was  brought  to  America.  Bellfounder  was  taken 


FIG.  13.  The  Harvester  (2:01),  by  Walnut  Hall  (2:08^),  one  of  the  fastest  trotting 
stallions  of  record,  as  well  as  a  great  sire.  The  driver  is  Edward  Geers,  the  most 
popular  and  highly  respected  driver  on  the  American  circuit.  From  photograph 

by  the  author 

to  Orange  County,  New  York,  where  he  went  into  stud  service. 
Here  he  sired  the  Charles  Kent  Mare,  a  most  important  connect- 
ing link  with  his  American  fame.  Bellfounder  died  on  Long 
Island  in  1843. 

The  type  of  the  American  trotter  or  pacer  is  far  from  being 
fixed.  No  breed  of  horses  has  been  produced  under  more  variable 
conditions,  and  no  recognized  breed  of  stock  contains  a  greater 
variation  in  size,  color,  and  character  than  does  this  light  harness 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  47 

breed.  In  fact,  there  is  so  little  breed  type  that  many  persons 
refuse  to  recognize  it  as  a  breed.  In  its  best  development  this 
light  harness  horse  has  symmetry  of  form,  —  a  lean,  intelligent 
head ;  a  medium-long,  refined,  and  graceful  neck ;  sloping,  well- 
laid  shoulders ;  sharp  withers ;  fairly  level,  short,  strong  back ; 
graceful  muscular  croup,  with  tail  well  carried  and  set  high ;  lean, 
muscular  thigh ;  round,  deep  body ;  and  legs  short,  clean,  fine- 
boned,  and  with  excellent  feet.  This  horse  has  a  strong,  long, 
quick  stride,  a  clean  hock  action,  and  greater  activity  of  motion 
than  any  other  trotter  known.  The  conformation  of  the  pacing 
horse  often  shows  a  steepness  of  croup  and  curving  of  hocks 
which  appear  to  be  more  or  less  associated  with  the  pacing  gait, 
though  not  necessarily  so.  Some  of  the  most  famous  pacers  in 
American  racing  history  have  had  this  peculiar  conformation, 
which  is,  to  say  the  least,  not  beautiful.  A  more  detailed  con- 
sideration of  the  conformation  of  the  trotter  and  pacer  is  found 
in  the  preceding  chapter  on  "The  Light  Harness  Type."  Weights 
of  1150  pounds  for  a  stallion  and  900  pounds  for  a  mare  are 
very  acceptable,  while  any  color  will  pass,  although  bays  and 
browns  are  most  numerous. 

The  gaits  of  the  trotter  and  pacer  are  distinctly  different, 
although  an  animal  may  be  able  to  trot  or  pace  as  desired.  To 
a  certain  degree,  however,  the  distinguishing  differences  between 
trotter  and  pacer  depend  upon  the  gait. 

The  trot  consists  in  moving  forward  at  much  the  same  time 
front  and  rear  opposite  limbs ;  as,  for  example,  the  left  front  leg 
and  the  right  hind  leg.  On  account  of  the  special  leg  movement, 
as  exhibited  by  the  gait,  the  trotter  is  said  to  be  "  diagonal-gaited." 
It  is  not  only  important  but  interesting  to  note  here  that  in  the 
show  ring,  where  the  gait  is  considered,  the  trot  furnishes  the 
approved  form  of  locomotion,  the  pace  being  regarded  as  inferior 
to  the  trot. 

The  pace  consists  in  the  two  legs  on  one  side  being  moved 
forward  at  about  the  same  time,  thus  presenting  a  sort  of  parallel 
movement.  Due  to  this  side  movement  of  the  legs  the  pacer  is 
sometimes  spoken  of  as  a  "side  wheeler"  or  "racker."  The 
horse  naturally  paces  when  his  body  is  hardly  long  enough  to 
permit  of  a  free  diagonal  movement  without  interference  of  the 


48  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

feet.  The  pace  provides  a  freer  movement,  involves  more  of  a 
swaying  motion  than  the  trot,  and,  while  faster  by  about  three 
seconds,  is  much  less  popular  than  the  smoother-moving  trot. 

The  trot  and  pace  are  interchangeable,  and  numerous  race 
horses  possess  both  gaits.  The  stallion  Direct,  with  a  pacing 
record  of  2:05^,  also  had  a  trotting  record,  as  a  four-year-old,  of 
2:i8j.  Brown  Hal,  a  great  pacing  sire,  also  had  a  trotting  record. 
John  R.  Gentry,  2:ooJ,  a  standard-bred  trotter,  was  a  very  fast 
pacer  and  a  sire  of  pacers.  Jay-Eye-See  was  first  a  trotter  at 
2:10  and  later  a  pacer  at  2:05^.  Most  horses  naturally  have  one 
gait,  but  many  of  them  are  easily  taught  the  other.  Hamilton 
Busby  states  that  he  has  seen  the  late  Robert  Bonner,  the  well- 
known  light-horse  enthusiast  and  student  of  equine  form  and 
foot  ballast,  take  a  pacing  colt  and  in  a  few  minutes  change  it 
to  a  trotter  by  simply  changing  the  bearing  of  its  heels. 

What  is  a  standard-bred  trotter?  In  1882  the  constitution  of 
the  National  Association  of  Trotting  Horse  Breeders,  an  associa- 
tion organized  in  1876,  was  amended,  and  among  the  rules 
adopted  were  the  following : 

In  order  to  define  what  constitutes  a  trotting-bred  horse,  and  to  establish  a 
breed  of  trotters  on  a  more  intelligent  basis,  the  following  rules  are  adopted  to 
control  admission  to  the  records  of  pedigrees.  When  an  animal  meets  with  the 
requirements  of  admission  and  is  duly  registered,  it  shall  be  accepted  as  a 
standard  trotting-bred  animal. 

First.   Any  stallion  that  has,  himself,  a  record  of  two  minutes  and  thirty 
seconds  (2:30)  or  better ;  provided  any  of  his  get  has  a  record  of  2:40  or  better, 
or  provided  his  sire  or  his  dam,  his  grandsire  or  his  grandam,  is  already  a  / 
standard  animal. 

Second.   Any  mare  or  gelding  that  has  a  record  of  2:30  or  better. 

Third.  Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of  two  animals  with  a  record  of  2:30  or 
better. 

Fourth.  Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of- one  animal  with  a  record  of  2:30  or 
better;  provided  he  has  either  of  the  following  additional  qualifications:  (i)  a 
record  himself  of  2:40  or  better ;  (2)  is  the  sire  of  two  other  animals  with  a 
record  of  2:40  or  better ;  (3)  has  a  sire  or  dam,  grandsire  or  grandam,  that  is 
already  a  standard  animal. 

Fifth.   Any  mare  that  has  produced  an  animal  with  a  record  of  2:30  or  better. 

Sixth.    The  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  standard  mare. 

Seventh.   The  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  out  of  a  mare  by  a  standard  horse. 

Eighth.  The  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  mare  whose  dam 
is  a  standard  mare. 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER 


49 


Ninth.  Any  mare  that  has  a  record  of  2:40  or  better,  and  whose  sire  or 
dam,  grandsire  or  grandam,  is  a  standard  animal. 

Tenth.  A  record  to  wagon  of  2:35  or  better  shall  be  regarded  as  equal  to 
a  2:30  record. 

The  above  rules,  on  the  basis  of  breed  standards,  are  subject  to 
criticism,  in  that  speed  is  the  only  requirement,  no  consideration 
being  given  conformation,  height,  etc.  For  this  reason  breed  critics 
refuse  to  recognize  the  trotter  or  pacer  as  an  established  breed. 


FIG.  14.    Lou  Dillon,  1:58!,  by  Sidney  Dillon.    This  great  little  mare  long  held 

the  trotting  championship  of  the  world.  The  most  sensational  trotter  in  American 

history.  Owned  by  C.  K.  G.  Billings.  From  photograph  taken  in  1905,  by  courtesy 

of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 


The  standard  of  eligibility  for  trotters  as  given  by  the  Amer- 
ican Trotting  Registry  Association J  is  as  follows  : 

When  an  animal  meets  these  requirements  and  is  duly  registered  it  shall 
be  accepted  as  a  standard-bred  trotter. 

i.  The  progeny  of  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse  and  a  registered 
standard  trotting  mare. 

1  Wallace,  Yearbook  of  Trotting  and  Pacing  in  1917,  p.  5. 


SO  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

2.  A  stallion  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse,  provided  his 
dam  and  grandam  were  sired  by  registered  standard  trotting  horses,  and  he 
himself  has  a  trotting  record  of  2:30  and  is  the  sire  of  three  trotters  with 
records  of  2:30  from  different  mares. 

3.  A  mare  whose  sire  is  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse,  and  whose 
dam  and  grandam  were  sired  by  registered  standard  trotting  horses,  pro- 
vided she  herself  has  a  trotting  record  of  2:30  or  is  a  dam  of  one  trotter 
with  a  record  of  2:30. 

4.  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse,  provided  she  is 
the  dam  of  two  trotters  with  records  of  2:30. 

5.  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse,  provided  her  first, 
second,  and  third  dams  are  each  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse. 

The  pacing  standard  is  the  same  as  the  trotting  standard  except 
that  the  word  "pacer"  is  substituted  for  the  word  "trotter,"  the 
word  "pacing"  for  the  word  "trotting,"  and  the  speed  standard 
2:25  for  2:30.  The  first  five  paragraphs  of  official  trotting  and 
pacing  standards  are  alike.  The  pacing  standard,  however,  has 
a  sixth  paragraph,  which  is  as  follows  : 

6.  The  progeny  of  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse  out  of  a  registered 
standard  pacing  mare,   or  of  a  registered  standard  pacing  horse  out  of  a 
registered  trotting  mare. 

This  last  paragraph  brings  out  the  interesting  point  in  an  offi- 
cial way  that  the  result  of  the  union  of  a  pacer  and  trotter  may 
create  a  standard-bred  pacer. 

Trotting  families  of  note  have  been  developed  in  America 
during  the  past  century  from  which  are  descended  the  trotting 
horses  of  eminence  to-day.  The  .families  introduced  below  are 
recognized  as  the  most  important.  The  judicious  blending  of 
these  families  has,  in  cases,  resulted  in  very  great  success  ;  as,  for 
example,  in  the  case  of  the  Hambletonian  and  Mambrino. 

The  Hambletonian  family.  On  May  15,  1849,  tne  Charles 
Kent  Mare  gave  birth  to  a  male  foal  from  the  service  of  Abdallah, 
the  grandson  of  Messenger.  This  mare  was  owned  by  Jonas 
Seely  of  Chester,  Orange  County,  New  York,  who  later  sold 
her  with  foal  at  side  to  William  M.  Rysdyk  for  $125.  This 
colt  was  later  named  Hambletonian  10  and  is  frequently  re- 
ferred to  as  Rysdyk 's  Hambletonian.  He  was  a  bay  in  color,  with 
a  star  and  white  hind  ankles,  stood  15^-  hands  high,  and  was 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  51 

powerful  in  build.  His  head  was  large,  with  pleasant  eyes,  his 
neck  and  shoulders  strong,  the  body  round  and  full,  legs  and 
feet  of  superior  character,  and  he  stood  somewhat  higher  behind 
than  in  front.  As  a  three-year-old  Hambletonian  is  said  to  have 
made  a  record  of  2:48  over  the  Union  course. 

In  1851  Hambletonian  began  service  in  stud,  which,  with  the 
exception  of  one  year  (1868),  he  continued  until  1875.  During 
fifteen  years  of  service,  between  1853  and  1867,  he  sired  1187 


FIG.  15.    Sonoma  Girl,  2:04^,  the  fastest  green  trotting  mare  on  the  1909  circuit. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

foals  —  an  average  of  79  each  year.  He  died  March  27,  1876, 
long  after  his  value  as  a  sire  began  to  be  appreciated.  This 
stallion  proved  the  founder  of  the  most  famous  American  family 
of  trotters,  for  to  him  may  be  traced  many  of  the  most  illustrious 
trotters  of  history.  In  1905  Parlin  states1  that  he  was  credited 
with  150  sons  that  have  sired  1487  trotters  and  220  pacers 
which  have  made  records  in  standard  time.  Eighty  of  his 
daughters  have  produced  no  standard  trotters  and  7  standard 
pacers,  a  total  of  1824. 

Among  the  famous  sons  and  daughters  of  Hambletonian  10 
are  Alexander's  Abdallah,  Electioneer,  George  Wilkes,  Aberdeen, 

1  S.  W.  Parlin,  The  American  Trotter,  p.  61. 


52  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Volunteer,  Happy  Medium,  Harold,  Strathmore,  Egbert,  Dictator, 
Dexter,  Nettie  (2:18),  Orange  Girl  (2:20),  Gazelle  (2:21),  Jay 
Gould  (2:21*-),  and  Bella  (2:22).  The  first  ten  of  these  proved 
very  prepotent  sires  and  thus  demonstrated  in  an  impressive 
manner  the  value  of  their  remarkable  sire. 

PEDIGREE  OF  HAMBLETONIAN  10  (FOALED  1849) 

f  Mambrino,  by  Engineer, 
f  Messenger  (Thor-^       by  Sampson 

!  Mambrino  (Tr.)  \      oughbred)  1 780   [  Dam  by  Turf 
1806                IMarebv                 j  Sour  Grout  (imp.)  1786 
y                  l 
f  Son  of  Messenger  |  Messen£er 
Amazonia(7>.)|Unknown               \ 

C  Bellfounder  (Tr.) 
rjary'sBell-       ^Unknown 

Charles  Kent  Mare  H  ir(7>v)r  f  Bishop's  Hamble-  C  Messenger  (imp.) 

!  One  Eye  \       tonian  (Tr.)         ^Pheasant,  by  Shark 

f  Messenger  (imp.) 
^Silvertail    ...«,, 

\Black  Jin  (untraced) 

The  Mambrino  family.  This  family  is  named  from  Mambrino 
Chief,  foaled  in  1844  and  bred  by  Richard  Eldridge  of  Dutchess 
County,  New  York.  Mambrino  Chief  was  by  Mambrino  Pay- 
master, and  he  by  Mambrino,  the  Thoroughbred  son  of  Messenger. 
His  dam  is  untraced.  He  was  a  dark-brown  stallion  about  16 
hands  high,  by  some  referred  to  as  coarse,  though  he  proved 
a  very  superior  breeder.  Mambrino  Chief  in  1854  was  taken  to 
Kentucky,  where  he  was  in  stud  three  seasons  at  Ashland  Farms, 
after  which  he  was  bought  for  $5020  by  Gray  and  Jones  of 
Woodford  County,  in  whose  service  he  died  in  1862.  His  son 
Mambrino  Patchen  sired  scores  of  trotters,  while  his  daughter 
Dolly  was  the  dam  of  Onward,  Director,  and  Thorndale,  a  remark- 
able trio.  Mambrino  King,  by  Mambrino  Patchen,  was  regarded 
by  many  as  the  most  beautiful  horse  in  America  in  his  day. 
Woodford  Mambrino,  Mambrino  Pilot,  Fisk's  Mambrino  Chief, 
and  Ericsson  were  also  successful  sires  by  Mambrino  Chief.  Lady 
Thorn,  a  daughter  of  Mambrino  Chief,  trotted  106  heats  inside 
2:30  and  won  national  fame.  The  union  of  the  descendants  of 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  53 

Mambrino  Chief  and  Hambletonian  10  produced  most  efficient 
results.  While  the  Mambrino  family  ranks  perhaps  second  in 
importance,  it  is  gradually  being  absorbed  by  Hambletonian  blood 
and,  according  to  Parlin,  will  in  time  become  extinct. 

The  Clay  family.  In  1820  a  Barb  stallion  known  as  Grand 
Bashaw,  foaled  in  1816,  was  imported  from  Tripoli,  Africa.  He 
was  regarded  as  of  great  beauty  and  showed  both  action  and 
speed.  He  was  a  small  iron  gray,  standing  14^  hands  high. 
Used  in  the  stud  near  Philadelphia  he  sired  Young  Bashaw 
out  of  a  granddaughter  of  Imported  Messenger.  Young  Bashaw 
sired  Andrew  Jackson,  the  fastest  trotter  of  his  day.  The 
trotting  mare  Lady  Surrey,  brought  from  Canada  and  owned  by 
George  M^Patchen,  was  bred  to  Andrew  Jackson,  from  which  in 
1837  she  dropped  a  black  foal  named  Henry  Clay,  the  sire  from 
which  this  family  derives  its  name.  He  stood  about  15^  hands 
high,  had  plenty  of  substance,  was  a  natural  trotter,  and  "an 
untiring  roadster."  He  was  not  himself  a  prolific  sire,  and  but 
three  of  his  sons  —  Cassius  M.  Clay,  Andy  Johnson,  and  Henry 
Clay  Junior  —  are  noteworthy.  Cassius  M.  Clay  was  sire  of 
George  M.  Patchen  (2:23-*),  that  in  1860  established  a  world's 
record  and  also  became  a  noted  sire  of  both  sons  and  daughters. 
Stamboul  (2:07^)  had  for  second  dam  Patchen  Maid,  by  George 
M.  Patchen.  The  Clay  family,  though  possessing  a  long  line  of 
trotting  inheritance,  bids  fair  to  become  extinct  through  absorption 
by  the  Hambletonians. 

The  Morgan  family.  This  is  one  of  our  oldest  trotting  families 
and  inherits  its  name  from  a  stallion  named  Justin  Morgan, 
foaled  in  1793  at  West  Springfield,  Massachusetts.  From  this 
place  he  was  taken  to  Vermont,  in  which  state  this  family  of 
horses  has  gained  great  distinction.  Justin  Morgan  was  sired  by 
True  Briton,  whose  ancestry  may  be  traced  back  to  the  Godolphin 
Barb ;  his  dam  is  given  as  Diamond,  she  also  tracing  back  to  the 
Godolphin  Barb.  It  is  but  fair  to  state  here  that  the  breeding  of 
Justin  Morgan  is  more  or  less  questioned,  and  the  above  ances- 
try is  based  on  investigations  of  Joseph  Battell  of  Middlebury, 
Vermont.  This  stallion  is  described  as  about  14  hands  high, 
weighing  950  pounds,  dark  bay  with  black  points,  and  possessed  of 


54 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


great  vitality  ;  he  died  in  1821,  at  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He 
was  a  fast  walker,  a  good  trotter,  and  was  most  intelligent,  being 
used  as  a  military  charger  or  parade  horse,  a  short-distance  run- 
ner, and  a  farm-work  horse.  He  proved  to  be  a  wonderfully  pre- 
potent stallion,  and  on  his  blood  is  founded  the  Morgan  family. 


FIG.  1 6.  Donald,  a  Morgan  stallion,  noted  both  as  a  show  horse  and  a  sire.  Donald 
is  regarded  as  a  fine  example  of  the  true  type  of  Morgan.  Owned  by  C.  C.  Stillman, 
Newburgh,  New  York.  From  photograph  by  H.  H.  Strohmeyer,  Jr.,  by  courtesy 

of  Mr.  Stillman 

Justin  Morgan  had  a  long  stud  career,  but  he  did  not  produce 
great  breeding  sons  in  the  same  degree  as  did  Hambletonian  10. 
Three  of  his  sons  —  Bulrush,  Woodbury,  and  Sherman  Morgan  — 
were  his  greatest  offspring.  A  son  of  Sherman  Morgan,  named 
Black  Hawk,  foaled  in  1833,  was  a  trotter  and  vigorous  sire,  and 
fourteen  of  his  sons  became  recognized  trotters.  Ethan  Allen, 
his  greatest  son,  was  bred  in  New  York  State  and  was  foaled  in 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  55 

1849  from  a  dam  of  unknown  ancestry.  He  became  very  famous 
and  popular  as  a  successful  trotter  and  proved  also  to  be  a 
great  sire.  The  mare  Pocahontas,  by  Iron's  Cadmus,  with  a  record 
of  2:17!  in  1855,  bred  to  Ethan  Allen  became  the  dam  of 
another  Pocahontas,  for  which  Robert  Bonner  later  on  paid 
$40,000.  Among  the  thirty-six  producing  sons  and  daughters 
of  Ethan  Allen  no  one  attained  such  distinction  as  did  Daniel 
Lambert,  himself  the  sire  of  thirty-eight  trotters.  The  sire  of 
the  dam  of  Daniel  Lambert  was  Abdallah,  the  sire  of  Hamble- 
tonian  10.  Later  years  have  shown  that  the  Hambletonian  and 
Morgan  families  could  be  bred  together  to  very  great  advantage. 
For  some  years  the  United  .States  Department  of  Agriculture 
has  been  conducting  breeding  operations,  with  the  Morgan  as  a 
foundation,  to  establish  a  distinct  American  breed  of  heavy  har- 
ness horses.  The  Colorado  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  has 
cooperated  with  the  government  in  this  work.  A  government  stud 
at  Middlebury,  Vermont,  has  also  been  maintained.  Thus  far  the 
results  of  this  experimental  breeding  have  not  been  especially 
noteworthy.  The  Morgan  family  in  recent  years  has  been  given 
considerable  publicity,  but  as  this  has  been  directed  toward  heavy 
harness  lines  it  has  not  met  with  an  especially  favorable  reception. 
There  is  a  register  for  Morgan  horses,  and  up  to  1919  three 
volumes  of  the  studbook  have  been  published.  To  be  eligible  for 
registration  the  pedigree  of  every  horse  recorded  must  trace  in 
some  degree  to  Justin  Morgan. 

The  Pilot  family.  A  black  or  dark-brown  horse  by  the  name 
of  Pilot  first  attracted  attention  in  this  family.  He  was  foaled  in 
1828  in  the  province  of  Quebec.  His  sire  is  unknown,  and  his 
dam  was  Jeanne  d'Arc,  by  Voyager.  When  eighteen  months 
old  he  was  taken  to  Connecticut  and  in  1830  to  New  York.  In 
1831  he  was  sold  to  go  to  New  Orleans  and  in  1832  he  was 
returned  to  Kentucky,  where  he  died  about  1853  on  the  farm  of 
Robert  Bell  near  Henderson.  Pilot  was  not  only  a  pacer  but 
would  also  trot.  His  greatest  son  was  Pilot  Jr.,  a  gray  horse 
15^  hands  high,  foaled  in  1844,  out  of  Nancy  Polk  by  Funk's 
Havoc.  Pilot  Jr.  was  a  very  successful  sire  of  brood  mares. 
Bred  to  Sally  Russell,  a  Thoroughbred  daughter  of  Boston,  he 
sired  Miss  Russell,  one  of  the  greatest  American  brood  mares, 


56  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

the  mother  of  the  great  Maud  S.,  also  Nutwood,  Lord  Russell, 
and  fifteen  others.  Another  daughter,  Midnight,  out  of  a  Thorough- 
bred daughter  of  Lexington,  was  the  dam  of  Jay-Eye-See,  with 
a  pacing  record  of  2:06^  and  a  trotting  record  of  2:10.  Water- 
witch,  another  daughter  of  Pilot  Jr.,  produced  nineteen  foals  that 
lived,  six  of  which  made  records  of  2:30  or  better.  The  family 
history  of  Pilot  is  more  or  less  obscure.  He  bred  both  pacers 
and  trotters  and  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  American 
racing-horse  interests. 

The  Hal  family.  Years  ago  down  in  Kentucky  was  kept  a  roan 
saddle  stallion,  bred  in  Canada,  known  as  Kittrel's  Tom  Hal.  It  is 
said  that  he  was  much  abused  in  his  time  and  was  ridden  nearly 
to  death  over  rocky  roads  by  a  drunken  wretch  in  an  elm-crotch 
saddle.  For  years  he  stood  at  a  fee  of  $5  to  insure,  with  no 
pay  if  he  did  not  get  a  good  saddle  horse.  His  ancestry  is  some- 
what obscure,  but  it  is  claimed  that  he  had  Morgan  blood  in  his 
veins.  Tom  Hal  attained  fame  as  the  sire  of  Gibson's  Tom  Hal, 
the  sire  of  Hal  Pointer  (2:041),  Little  Brown  Jug  (2: ill),  and 
Brown  Hal  (2:12^).  The 'latter  became  the  sire  of  Star  Pointer, 
the  leading  sire  of  this  family,  a  pacer  of  marvelous  speed,  char- 
acter, and  endurance  that  reduced  the  pacing  record  to  1:59^. 
Brown  Hal  is  the  sire  of  about  ninety  in  the  list,  including  Hal 
Dillard  (2:O4|),  Hal  Chaffin  (2:05^),  Elastic  Pointer  (2:o6l),  Star 
Hal  (2:o6J),  and  Hal  Braden  (2:07^).  This  is  the  most  distin- 
guished family  containing  a  large  percentage  of  pacing  blood. 

The  list  of  famous  trotting  or  pacing  brood  mares  is  a  very 
long  one,  there  being  several  thousand  of  more  or  less  distinction 
at  this  time.  Three  of  these  mares  well  deserve  to  be  placed  at 
the  head  of  this  list. 

Beautiful  Bells,  by  The  Moor,  dam  Minnehaha,  was  foaled  in 
1872.  She  was  bred  by  L.  J.  Rose  in  California,  though  owned 
at  Palo  Alto  by  Leland  Stanford,  where  she  dropped  her  first 
foal  in  1880  to  the  service  of  Electioneer.  She  produced  eleven 
trotters  of  great  merit,  either  by  Electioneer  or  his  sons,  that  made 
records  from  2:1 2 J  to  2:29}-.  On  her  sire's  side  she  was  a  Pilot, 
on  the  dam's  a  Mambrino. 

Green  Mountain  Maid  was  foaled  in  1862.  She  was  bred  by 
Samuel  Conklin  of  Middletown,  New  York.  Her  sire  was  Harry 


THE  AMERICAN   TROTTER  AND  PACER 


57 


Clay,  dam  Shanghai  Mary.  She  was  a  brown  mare  with  star  and 
white  hind  ankles  and  stood  15  hands  high.  At  the  Stony  Ford 
Farm  of  Charles  Backman  she  spent  most  of  the  twenty-six  years 
of  her  life,  dying  in  1888.  Her  greatest  son  was  Electioneer, 
one  of  America's  most  prepotent  sires.  Green  Mountain  Maid 
was  the  dam  of  sixteen  foals.  In  memory  of  this  mare  a  red- 
granite  monument  was  erected  in  1889  by  Mr.  Backman  "on 
the  spot  dedicated  to  her  worth  and  honored  by  her  dust." 


FIG.  17.    Elastic  Pointer,  2:06^,  by  Brown  Hal,  2:12^.    A  pacer  and  full  brother 

of  Star  Pointer,  i :  59!,  one  of  the  greatest  pacers  in  history.    From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

Miss  Russell,  a  gray  mare  foaled  in  1865,  bred  by  R.  A.  Alex- 
ander at  Woodburn,  Kentucky,  is  the  third  worthy.  She  was 
sired  by  Pilot  Jr.  and  out  of  Sally  Russell,  by  Boston,  and  her 
fifth  dam  was  by  the  great  imported  Thoroughbred  Diomed. 
Miss  Russell  was  the  dam  of  eighteen  foals.  Nutwood,  by  Bel- 
mont,  her  first  foal,  was  her  greatest  son,  he  siring  one  hundred 
and  thirty-three  trotters  and  thirty-five  pacers,  while  Maud  S.,  by 
Harold,  was  her  'most  famous  daughter.  Lord  Russell,  a  full 
brother  to  Maud  S.,  was  a  great  sire,  and  among  his  sons  was 
Kremlin  (2:o;|),  the  champion  five-year-old  trotter  of  his  day. 


58  .  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Leading  sires  of  trotting  horses  up  to  1918,  on  the  basis  of 
offspring  with  records  of  2:30  or  better,  are  as  follows,  in  their 
order  of  importance.  The  number  of  offspring  with  trotting 
records  follows  the  name  of  the  sire,  with  the  number  of  pacers 
in  parentheses  : 

1.  Peter  the  Great,  2:07^,  by  Pilot  Medium     281   (54)  foaled  1895 

2.  Allerton,  2:09]-,  by  Jay  Bird    ....     210  (61)  foaled  1886 

3.  Bingen,  2:06^,  by  May  King,  2:20     .     .182  (47)  foaled  1893 

4.  McKinney,  2:1 1^-,  by  Alcyone,  2:27   .     .164  (42)  foaled  1887 

5.  Electioneer,  by  Hambletonian  10  .     .     .     158    (2)    foaled  1868 

6.  Onward,  2:25 \,  by  George  Wilkes,  2:22  .     155  (45)  foaled  1875 

7.  Axworthy,  2:28^,  by  Axtell,  2:12       .     .     151    (8)    foaled  1892 

8.  Moko,  by  Baron  Wilkes,  2:18   .     .     .     .     139  (12)  foaled  1893 

9.  Nutwood,  2:i8|,  by  Belmont  ....     137  (37)  foaled  1870 
10.  Red  IVilkes,  2:40,  by  George  Wilkes,  2:22    133  (45)  foaled  1874 

The  sire  having  the  greatest  number  of  grandsons  and  grand- 
daughters to  his  credit  as  trotters  and  pacers  is  George  Wilkes, 
by  Hambletonian  10,  with  Electioneer  in  second  place  in  that 
respect.  At  the  present  day  (1919)  Peter  the  Great,  in  active 
service  at  twenty-four  years,  with  a  limited  fee  of  $1000,  is 
regarded  as  the  greatest  living  sire. 

Leading  sires  of  pacing  horses  up  to  1918,  that  is,  sires  whose 
progeny  made  greater  records  as  pacers  than  as  trotters,  are  as 
follows,  the  trotters  being  indicated  in  parentheses  : 

1.  Hal Dillard,  2:O4|,  by  Brown  Hal    .     .  93    (5)    foaled  1887 

2.  Brown  Hal,  2:12^,  by  Tom  Hal    ...  89    (3)    foaled  1879 

3.  Direct  Hal,  2:04^,  by  Direct     ....  89  foaled  1896 

4.  Dan  Patch,  1:55^,  by  Joe  Patchen     .     .  87  (28)  foaled  1896 

5.  Direct,  2:05!,  by  Director 86  (46)  foaled  1885 

6.  John  R.  Gentry,  2:00  J,  by  Ashland  Wilkes  71   (15)  foaled  1 889 

7.  Argot  Wilkes,  2:14^,  by  Tennessee  Wilkes  67    (3)    foaled  1886 

8.  Hal  B.,  2:04^,  by  Hal  Dillard  .     ...  63    (5)    foaled  1895 

9.  Strongwood,  2:i2|,  by  Nutwood    .     .     .  61   (14)  foaled  1890 
10.  Star  Pointer,  1:59^,  by  Brown  Hal    .     .  50           foaled  1889 

Carried  to  the  third  generation,  Brown  Hal  is  most  prepotent 
in  producing  pacers,  with  Direct  a  creditable  second.  The  above 
figures  are  subject  to  revision,  as  the  number  of  offspring  credited 
to  several  of  these  horses  will  materially  increase. 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER 


59 


The  speed  of  the  trotter  is  the  main  factor  influencing  values, 
and  the  speed  record  of  an  animal  or  its  relationship  to  such 
will  essentially  affect  its  selling  price.  As  might  be  expected,  foals 
occasionally  change 
hands  at  large  prices 
based  on  pedigree  and 
speed  records  of  the 
family.  The  speed  of 
the  trotter  has  been 
constantly  improved, 
until  the  end  of  1919 
saw  records  that  would 
not  have  been  thought 
possible  by  persons 
living  a  generation 
ago.  All  of  the  stand- 
ard racing  records 
have  been  materially 
changed  during  the 


FIG.  1 7 A.  Dan  Patch,  i=55i,  by  Joe  Patchen.  The 
fastest  pacer  of  record  up  to  date,  and  one  of  the 
leading  sires  of  pacers.  Purchased  for  $60,000 
by  M.  W.  Savage,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota.  From 
illustration  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Savage 


last  fifty  years.     The 

following       statement 

shows  how  this  record,  representing  horses  in  harness  and  not 

under  saddle,  has  been  lowered  between   1845  and   1918.    Not 

every  reduction  in  time  is  given,  but  enough  to  show  the  gradual 

process  by  which  it  took  place. 


NAME  OF  HORSE  AND  SIRE 

PLACE  OF  RECORD 

DATE 

TtME 

Lady  Suffolk,  by  Engineer    .     . 

Hoboken,  NJ. 

Oct.  13,  1845 

2^ 

Highland  Maid,  by  Saltram  .     . 

Jamaica,  N.Y. 

July  14,  1853 

2:27 

Flora  Temple,  by  Bogus  Hunter 

Kalamazoo,  Mich. 

Oct.  15,  1859 

2:l9t 

Dexter,  by  Hambletonian  10 

Buffalo,  N.Y. 

Aug.  14,  1867 

2:I7t 

Goldsmith  Maid,  by  Abdallah    . 

Boston,  Mass. 

Sept.  2,  1874 

2:14 

Jay-Eye-See,  by  Dictator   .     .     . 

Providence,  R.I. 

Aug.  i,  1884 

2:IO 

Maud  S.,  by  Harold      .... 

Cleveland,  Ohio 

July  30,  1885 

2:o8f 

Nancy  'Hanks,  by  Happy  Medium 

Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

Sept.  28,  1892 

2:04 

Cresceus,  by  Robert  McGregor  . 

Columbus,  Ohio 

Aug.  2,  1901 

2:02^- 

Lou  Dillon,  by  Sidney  Dillon    . 

Memphis,  Tenn. 

Oct.  24,  1903 

I^SI1 

Uhlan,  by  Bingen 

Lexington,  Ky. 

Oct.  8,  1912 

1:58 

J^ 

1  Timed  with  a  wind  shield,  and  pacemaker  in  front. 


6o 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


Some  of  the  fastest  trotting  records  to  January  i,  1919,  are 
given  below.  There  are  numerous  standard  trotting  events,  such 
as  against  time,  in  races,  double  teams,  three  abreast,  half-mile 
track,  mile  track,  etc.  There  are  many  fastest  records,  of  which 
the  following  are  selected  as  of  perhaps  the  most  interest : 


EVENT 

NAME  OF  HORSE  AND  SIRE 

DATE 

TIME 

One  mile 

Uhlan,  by  13ingen 

IQI2 

i:;8 

Two  miles 

The  Harvester,  by  Walnut  Hall 

IQIO 

4=  I  Si 

Five  miles     

Zombro,  by  McKinney  .... 

1902 

12:24 

Ten  miles      

Controller,  by  May  Boy 

l878 

27:23^ 

Fastest  stallion       .... 

Lee  Axworthy,  by  Guy  Axworthy 

1916 

1:58* 

Fastest  mare     

Lou  Dillon,  by  Sidney  Dillon 

1903 

i:S» 

Fastest  gelding      .... 

Uhlan,  by  Bingen      

1912 

l:58 

Fastest  new  performer  .     . 

Colorado  £.,  by  The  Bondsman 

I9IO 

2:04! 

Fastest  yearling     .... 

Airdale,  by  Tregantle    .... 

1912 

2:15! 

Fastest  two-year-old  .     .     . 

The  Real  Lady,  by  Moko  . 

1916 

2:04i 

Fastest  four-year-old       .     . 

Peter  Volo,  by  Peter  the  Great  . 

'915 

2:02 

Team  record  against  time  . 

Roy  Miller  and  Lucy  Van  . 

1918 

2:0li 

Team,  three  abreast  .     .     . 

Belle  Ham  I  in,  Globe,  Just  ina 

1891 

2:14 

Pacing  records  now  receive  much  attention  from  the  public, 
although  in  early  days  the  trot  was  the  greater  favorite  of  the 
two,  especially  prior  to  1860.  The  following  table  shows  how 
the  pacing  record  has  been  reduced  since  1839: 

REDUCTION  OF  PACING  RECORD  FROM  1839  TO  JANUARY  i,  1919 


NAME  OF  HORSE 

PLACE  OK  RECORD 

DATE 

RECORD 

Drover    
Fanny  Ellsler  
Pet      .     

Pocahontas 

New  Jersey 
Albany,  N.Y. 
Long  Island,  N.Y. 
Long  Island   N  Y 

1839 
1844 
1852 
i8c  c 

2:28 
2:27* 
2:l8i 

2'17l 

Sleepy  George 

Rochester  N  Y 

1055 
1870 

'•I/i 

''•I  C4 

Sleepy  Tom 

1870 

z-*5* 

,.I24- 

Johnston 

1884 

->-o6i 

Direct 

I  go  I 

2-06 

Hal  Pointer 

Chicago'  111 

l892 

2'O  ^4- 

Robert]  
Star  Pointer     
Prince  Alert 

Terre  Haute,  Ind. 
Readville,  Mass. 
Empire  City  Track   N  Y 

1894 
l897 
IQO.1 

2:01  £ 

i'59i 
l:C7J 

Directum  I  .     . 

Syracuse   N  Y 

IQI  C 

i-c64 

Dan  Patch  

Memphis,  Tenn. 

*905 

I'SSi1 

1  Timed  with  a  wind  shield,  and  pacemaker  in  front. 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER  6 1 

The  number  of  trotters  and  pacers  with  records  has  steadily 
increased,  until  at  the  present  day  the  list  makes  up  a  large  book. 
At  the  end  of  the  1917  season  there  were  recorded  a  total  of 
33,695  trotters  with  records  of  2:30  or  better  and  25,475  pacers 
with  records  of  2:25  or  better.  Even  the  select  2:10  list  has 
grown  in  a  remarkable  way,  so  that  at  the  completion  of  the 
1918  season,  according  to  the  Horse  Review  (November  12,  1918), 
there  were  993  trotters  in  the  2:10  class  and  nearly  450  pacers 
in  the  2:08  list. 

The  money  winnings  on  the  race  track  by  light  harness  horses 
mount  up  into  considerable  sums.  While  there  are  thousands  of 
horse  races  each  year  on  different  tracks  in  America,  what  are 
known  as  the  Grand  Circuit  races  represent  the  most  important 
held.  These  races  begin  in  the  more  northerly  section  of  the 
country  in  July,  as  at  North  Randall,  Ohio,  and  end  the  last  of 
October  in  the  South,  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  many  of  the  same 
horses  follow  the  circuit  from  start  to  finish.  In  the  Grand  Circuit 
of  1918  were  the  following  places,  in  the  order  the  races  were 
held :  North  Randall,  Kalamazoo,  Toledo,  Columbus,  North 
Randall,  Philadelphia,  Poughkeepsie,  Readville,  Hartford,  Syracuse, 
Columbus,  Lexington,  Atlanta.  At  the  above  thirteen  meetings 
two  hundred  and  sixty-one  races  were  held,  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-five  heats  were  recorded,  with  an  average  time  of  2:07.89, 
a  remarkable  showing.  A  total  of  $471,742  was  awarded  to  the 
prize  winners.  The  four  leading  families  in  the  1918  circuit, 
according  to  the  Horse  Revieiv,  were  the  following : 

Bingen  (2:06^),  with  192  winners,  secured  $70,091 
Peter  the  Great  (2:07^),  with  134  winners,  secured  $69,858 
Axworthy  (2:15^),  with  96  winners,  secured  $67,692 
McKinney  (2:11^),  with  108  winners,  secured  $59,595 

Up  to  1918  inclusive  the  get  of  Peter  the  Great  have  won 
over  $800,000. 

The  prices  paid  for  standard-bred  horses  represent  in  some 
cases  remarkable  valuations,  while  a  long  list  might  be  given  of 
animals  that  have  changed  hands  at  $10,000  or  more  each.  The 
highest  price  ever  paid  for  a  trotter  was  $150,000,  paid  by 
Mr.  J.  Malcolm  Forbes  of  Boston  for  Arion  (2 :07|),  by  Electioneer. 


62 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


In  1905,  at  a  sale  at  Madison  Square  Garden,  Mr.  M.  W.  Savage 
of  Minneapolis  purchased  Arion  for  $2500.  The  trotting  stallion 
Axtell  (2:12),  by  William  L.,  was  purchased  by  a  company  at 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  for  $105,000.  Dan  Patch  (i:5Sl),  the 
great  pacing  horse,  was  purchased  for  $60,000  by  Mr.  M.  W. 
Savage,  who  later,  it  is  reported,  refused  $180,000  for  him.  In 
1916  Peter  the  Great,  at  twenty-one  years  of  age,  was  sold  by 
W.  E.  D.  Stokes  of  New  York  to  S.  J.  Fletcher  of  Indiana  for 
$50,000,  the  highest  price  ever  paid  for  so  old  a  horse.  Among 


FIG.  18.  The  grandstand  and  race  track  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  one  of  the  fastest 
and  best  American  tracks.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

other  notable  prices  paid  for  standard-bred  horses  are  the  follow- 
ing :  Nancy  Hanks,  $45,000;  Sunol,  $41,000;  Maud  S.,  $40,000; 
Mascot,  $26,000. 

The  drivers  of  race  horses  occupy  very  prominent  positions  in 
the  sporting  world.  If  successful  they  receive  much  attention  and 
may  win  large  sums  of  money  during  the  season.  Such  men 
should  have  exemplary  habits,  which  unfortunately  many  of  them 
do  not  have,  and  should  possess  keen  knowledge  of  the  tempera- 
ment and  capacity  of  the  horse.  Among  the  early  famous  American 
drivers  were  Hiram  Woodruff,  Budd  Doble,  John  Splan,  and 
Charles  Marvin,  men  who  drove  the  greatest  horses  on  the  track 


THE  AMERICAN  TROTTER  AND  PACER 


between  1850  and  1900.  Among  present-day  drivers  of  note  are 
Edward  Geers,  "  the  silent  man,"  the  most  highly  respected  driver 
on  the  circuit,  Alta  McDonald,  Walter  R.  Cox,  Thomas  W.  Murphy, 
Charles  Valentine,  "Mike"  McDevitt,  and  Dick  McMahon.  In 
one  year  Mr.  Murphy  won  $86, no  in  various  races. 

The  distribution  of  the  standard-bred  horse  is  very  general  over 
the  United  States,  although  more  especially  east  of  the  Missouri 
River.  It  is  the  most  adaptable  of  horses  and  seems  well  suited 
to  the  sunny  South  or 
to  the  cooler  latitudes 
farther  to  the  north. 
The  automobile  has  re- 
duced the  interest  in 
maintaining  stables  of 
standard-breds,  except- 
ing in  a  limited  num- 
ber of  cases,  where 
horses  are  specifically 
bred  for  the  race 
course  and  for  gentle- 
men's drivers.  Ameri- 
can trotters  have  been 
exported  to  some  extent  in  the  past,  more  especially  to  Russia, 
Austria,  and  Germany.  Russians  were  considerably  interested  and 
were  good  buyers  prior  to  the  World  War.  In  191 1  Bit  and  Sp2ir 
stated  that  more  than  one  hundred  of  our  fastest  and  best-bred 
trotting  stallions  had  been  exported,  and  gave  a  list  of  eighteen, 
including  Cresceus,  with  records  ranging  from  2:O2|  to  2:09^. 

The  official  promotion  of  the  standard-bred  horse  is  under  the 
supervision  of  the  American  Trotting  Register  Association,  with 
headquarters  for  many  years  at  Chicago.  The  "  Trotting  Register  " 
was  established  and  first  published  in  1871  by  J.  H.  Wallace.  The 
American  Trotting  Register  Association  purchased  the  register 
from  Mr.  Wallace  and  also  an  annual  yearbook  of  records  which  he 
also  published.  Since  then  these  two  sets  of  volumes  have  been 
known  as  Wallace's  "American  Trotting  Register  "  and  Wallace's 
"  Yearbook  of  Trotting  and  Pacing."  Up  to  and  including  1918  the 
former  comprised  twenty-two  large  volumes  and  the  latter  thirty-four. 


FIG.  19.    A  close  finish  between  two  of  the  most 

noted  horse  owners  and  drivers  in  America.  From 

photograph  by  courtesy  of  the  Horse  Review 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE  TYPE 

The  heavy  harness  horse  is  often  referred  to  as  the  coach,  or 
carriage,  horse.  This  type  is  intended  for  the  special  purpose  of 
drawing  heavier  kinds  of  carriages  and  coaches.  This  horse  is 
also  of  value  in  light,  active  work,  where  a  heavier  type  than  the 
American  trotter  is  desired.  The  size  and  conformation  generally 
found  in  the  coach  breeds  are  associated  with  this  type.  The 
American  trotter  of  the  larger  size  may,  however,  furnish  the 
essentials  needed  in  a  high-class  heavy  harness  horse. 

The  general  appearance  of  a  heavy  harness  horse  in  good 
condition  shows  smooth,  graceful  body  lines.  The  height  should 
be  about  16  hands  and  the  weight  from  noo  to  1250  pounds 
for  geldings  or  mares.  Stallions  will  usually  range  from  1250  to 
1550  pounds,  according  to  breed.  In  quality  the  heavy  harness 
horse  should  be  superior,  showing  the  best  of  feet,  bone,  and  hair. 
Action,  high  and  strong  at  both  knee  and  hock,  is  important, 
while  graceful  carriage  is  equally  essential.  In  general  appearance 
the  best  type  of  heavy  harness  horse  shows  a  long  arching  neck, 
round  full  body,  long  level  croup,  high  carriage  of  tail,  and  what 
is  known  as  a  "  trappy  "  gait. 

The  head  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  should  be  lean,  graceful, 
broad  of  forehead,  rather  prominent  and  bright  of  eye,  deep  of 
cheek  and  wide  and  strong  in  lower  jaw,  the  muzzle  fine  and 
nostrils  full  and  open,  the  ears  refined,  being  neither  large  nor 
small,  carried  close  and  erect  and  turning  in  slightly  at  the  tips. 
The  head  should  show  quality  in  its  leanness,  intelligence  in  the 
broad,  full  forehead,  and  animation  in  brightness  of  eye  and  car- 
riage of  ear  and  head.  A  smooth,  neat  attachment  of  head  to 
neck  is  essential,  a  fullness  at  the  throat  and  about  the  windpipe 
being  objectionable. 

The  neck  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  in  its  ideal  development 
appears  somewhat  long,  is  gracefully  arched,  and  shows  a  smooth, 

64  ' 


THE  HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE  TYPE 


full,  muscular  development,  yet  is  entirely  free  from  the  thickness 
of  draft-horse  character.  A  ewe  neck  is  out  of  place  in  this  class. 
Much  of  the  style  and  symmetry  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  at 
rest  is  seen  in  the  carriage  and  make  up  of  head  and  neck.  The 
neck  should  blend  smoothly  in  its  attachment  to  the  body. 

The  chest  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  has  neither  the  thickness 
of  the  draft  .horse  nor  the  narrowness  of  the  Thoroughbred,  but 
should  be  a  happy  medium,  deep,  with  the  breast  carried  out  in 
some  prominence.  Too  broad  a  chest  prevents  a  free,  easy  gait. 


FIG.  20.  Brigham  Pearl,  a  Hackney  mare  and  a  great  example  of  the  heavy  har- 
ness type.  Note  the  maximum  stride,  but  one  foot  touching  the  ground.  From 
photograph  by  courtesy  of  the  owner,  S.  L.  Howe,  Vancouver,  British  Columbia 

The  shoulders  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  are  long  and  oblique, 
sloping  well  into  the  back,  with  withers  somewhat  prominent  yet 
refined.  A  steep  shoulder  prevents  strong,  rapid  movement  and 
produces  hard  action,  conducive  to  defects  of  feet  and  legs.  High 
or  free  knee  action  is  dependent  on  a  long,  well-laid,  muscular 
shoulder. 

The  body  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  should  be  round,  short  on 
top,  and  long  below,  the  ribs  being  long  and  well  arched  and  the 
back  and  loin  covered  smoothly  with  strong,  thick  muscle.  The 
loin,  in  particular,  calling  for  strength,  should  be  level,  broad,  and 


66  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

thick.  Depth  of  body  at  both  front  and  hind  flanks  is  desirable, 
with  not  too  much  prominence  and  overshadowing  of  hips. 

The  croup  furnishes  the  power ;  hence  it  should  be  long  and 
broad,  carried  high,  and  thickly  muscled.  A  steep,  short  croup 
is  inconsistent  with  well-balanced  conformation.  The  tail  should 
have  a  high  attachment  and  be  carried  with  style. 

The  thighs  and  qtiarters  of  the  heavy  harness  horse  must  be 
muscular  and  plump,  showing  fullness  of  outline.  The  muscle  of 
the  thighs  at  the  quarters  must  be  thick  and  deep,  giving  fullness 
to  the  hind  end.  The  gaskin,  or  lower  thigh,  should  be  strongly 
muscled  and  long. 

The  hocks  of  the  heavy  harness  horse,  viewed  from  one  side, 
should  be  deep  from  front  to  the  point  behind ;  the  front  should 
be  broad  and  the  rear  thin,  the  entire  joint  being  lean  and  smooth, 
with  no  puffiness  or  coarseness.  The  action  so  essential  in  a 
coach  horse  can  only  be  found  in  a  normal,  smooth,  and  strong  hock. 

The  legs  of  the  heavy  harness  horse,  as  a  whole,  must  show 
cleanness,  good  bone,  and  plenty  of  muscle.  The  arm  must  be 
short,  broad,  and  flat,  with  great  muscle  development.  The  elbows 
should  stand  out,  showing  room  between  the  legs  and  chest,  indi- 
cating easy-moving  power.  If  the  elbow  is  too  close  to  allow  the 
easy  insertion  of  the  hand  between  it  and  the  body,  the  legs  will 
not  stand  straight  and  the  front  toes  will  turn  out,  while  if  the 
elbow  is  too  far  from  the  body,  the  opposite  result  will  obtain,  in 
either  case  giving  an  awkward  movement.  The  forearm  should  be 
very  long  and  strongly  muscled,  wide  at  top,  and  tapering  grace- 
fully downward.  The  knee  in  its  strength  is  broad  in  front  and 
narrow  behind,  full  and  prominent,  and  strongly  attached  both 
above  and  below.  Sometimes  the  knees  come  too  close  together, 
often  they  are  crooked,  and  occasionally  they  project  too  far  over 
the  cannon  bones.  The  cannons,  both  front  and  rear,  should  be 
flat,  smooth,  short,  and  strongly  attached  above  and  below.  The 
tendons  which  pass  along  behind  should  stand  out  clear  and 
strong,  thus  giving  depth  to  the  leg  at  this  point.  As  the  hand  is 
passed  down  over  the  cannons  no  unnecessary  roughness  should 
be  felt.  Under  both  knee  and  hock  the  cannons  should  be  deep, 
showing  a  strong  attachment  at  these  joints.  The  fetlock  should 
be  strong  and  placed  straight  and  should  be  free  from  fleshiness. 


THE  HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE  TYPE  67 

The  pasterns  should  stand  at  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees  with 
the  floor  and  be  long,  smooth,  and  springy.  As  the  horse  stands 
naturally  the  pasterns  should  be  well  sustained,  with  no  tend- 
ency to  drop  low  and  appear  weak.  If  the  pastern  is  short  or 
straight  an  easy  gait  cannot  be  assumed,  and  the  conditions 
promote  foot  and  leg  diseases.  A  correct  pastern  at  45  degrees 
allows  the  proper  placing  of  the  foot,  the  frog  striking  first,  with 
the  resulting  jar  or  concussion  less  than  it  would  be  otherwise. 
The  feet  are  most  important,  and  a  capable  judge  of  the  horse 
will  give  them  almost  a  first  consideration.  These  should  be  of 
suitable  size,  round,  wide  at  top,  well  developed  at  heel,  and  pref- 
erably of  dark,  hard  bone.  Ample  size  is  important,  for  a  small 
foot  in  the  horse  presages  trouble.  The  hind  part,  or  heel,  should 
be  wide  and  of  reasonable  depth,  a  low  heel  and  flat  foot  being 
associated  with  poor  feet.  The  bottom  of  the  foot,  or  sole, 
should  be  concave  and  well  arched.  In  a  well-formed  foot  the 
frog  should  be  wide  at  the  heel,  be  strongly  developed,  and 
just  touch  the  ground  when  the  horse  is  at  rest.  Passing  about 
the  frog  in  a  continuation  of  the  wall  of  the  hoof  from  behind 
is  the  bar  of  the  foot.  This  bar  helps  to  hold  the  sole  of  the 
foot  together  and  should  be  strong  and  show  character.  The 
front  feet  are  usually  rounder  than  the  hind  and  are  also  more 
subject  to  injury  and  more  commonly  defective  than  the  hind  feet. 
Action  in  the  heavy  harness  horse  is  an  absolute  requirement. 
People  vary  in  the  degree  to  which  they  desire  this.  The  lover 
of  the  Hackney  desires  a  rather  high,  bold  knee  action  of  a  flashy 
sort,  with  a  notable  elevation  of  the  foot  at  its  highest  point.  The 
hind  legs  have  a  powerful  movement,  the  hocks  are  strongly  bent, 
or  flexed,  and  the  legs  are  carried  well  up  under  the  body.  This 
is  what  is  known  as  a  " trappy  gait,"  and  such  a  horse  as  a  "  high- 
stepper."  Such  a  gait  is  not  consistent  with  the  best  speed,  and 
wise  lovers  of  the  horse  prefer  less  high  action  and  more  reach 
and  power.  Further,  with  high  knee  action  comes  a  greater  con- 
cussion to  limbs  and  feet  and  consequently  greater  punishment 
and  more  rapid  wearing  out  of  the  horse  than  would  otherwise  be 
the  case.  Especially  is  this  true  on  the  city  pavement.  Trueness 
of  action  is  essential,  whether  a  high-stepper  or  not,  the  legs  be- 
ing carried  forward  in  the  same  general  line  and  the  feet  moved 


68 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


neither  in  nor  out.  The  hocks  should  be  firm  and  not  show  weak- 
ness, as  springing  wide  apart  when  in  action,  and  the  feet  should 
be  held  true,  neither  turning  in  nor  out  at  the  toes.  When  either 
at  walk  or  trot  the  horse  should  pass  from  or  come  toward  the 
judge  on  the  same  true  line,  without  sidewise  gait,  dragging  feet, 
paddling,  clicking,  etc.  Straight  and  regular  movement  should 
be  sought  for.  Ordinarily  a  coach  horse  is  expected  to  have  a 
speed  of  about  eight  or  ten  miles  an  hour  in  continuous  road  work. 


FIG.  21.    Brigham  Pearl,  showing  extreme  flexing  of  knees  and  hocks,  with  but 
two  feet  on  the  ground.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Howe 

Subclasses  of  heavy  harness  horses.  On  account  of  the  special 
requirements  of  city  trade,  in  relation  to  the  size  and  use  of  various 
vehicles,  the  coach  horse  is  divided  into  groups.  This  classification 
only  occurs,  however,  in  the  important  horse  shows  and  in  the 
exclusive  trade  of  the  city  dealer.  Pure-bred  coach  horses,  as  a 
rule,  do  not  come  within  these  subclasses  when  of  the  smaller  type, 
though  the  Hackney  may  furnish  an  exception.  The  following 
three  subclasses  are  the  principal  ones  of  interest : 

The  Park  horse  is  a  coach  horse  of  the  smaller  class,  in  which 
are  found  typical  heavy  harness  conformation  and  a  very  flashy  style 
of  action.  This  represents  the  finest  of  the  subtypes  referred  to 
and  stands  from  15  to  1 5|  hands  and  weighs  1000  to  1 1  50  pounds. 


THE  HEAVY  HARNESS  HORSE  TYPE  69 

Action  of  the  Park  horse  should  be  extremely  high,  with  the  best 
of  balance  and  the  limbs  moving  in  perfect  rhythm.  Park  horses 
are  driven  single  or  in  pairs  and  occasionally  in  fours.  They  are 
attached  to  light  pleasure  vehicles,  such  as  phaetons,  gigs,  park 
drags,  and  victorias. 

The  Cob  is  a  small,  compact  type  of  the  subclass  heavy  harness 
horse,  too  large  for  a  pony.  His  full,  compact  form  has  come  to 
be  known  as  "cobby,"  which  term  expresses  his  general  confor- 
mation. He  stands  from  14^  to  15!  hands  high  and  weighs  900 
to  1 100  pounds.  The  Cob  has  a  smart  gait,  with  high  action  and 
a  fair  amount  of  reach.  Cobs  are  very  common  in  England  and 
Wales.  They  show  great  speed  and  endurance  and  are  commonly 
hitched  singly  to  .comparatively  heavy  carts.  They  are  also  used 
on  light  broughams  or  phaetons. 

The  Runabout  combines  features  of  conformation  of  a  small, 
heavy  harness  horse  with  more  of  the  action  of  the  light  harness 
horse.  In  fact,  by  some  he  is  regarded  as  of  the  light  harness 
class,  while  others  place  him  in  the  heavy  harness  class.  He 
stands  14  J  to  15^-  hands  high  and  weighs  900  to  1050  pounds. 
He  is  not  quite  so  stocky  as  the  Cob  and  lacks  his  trappy  gait. 
This  is  a  handy  small  driver,  adapted  to  a  variety  of  conditions, 
easily  handled,  and  valued  on  the  market  at  a  modest  price. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  HACKNEY 

The  word  "  Hackney "  has  long  been  in  use  in  Great  Britain. 
The  Norman  invaders  in  the  eleventh  century  brought  from 
France  the  term  "  haquenee,"  or  "  hacquenee,"  which  is  of  uncer- 
tain derivation.  As  early  as  1 303  this  word  is  said  to  have  come 
into  active  use.  This  same  century  Chaucer  in  his  writings  refers 
to  the  hakeney  or  haknay,  spelling  it  both  ways.1  Prior  to  the 
eleventh  century  it  is  supposed  that  the  word  "nag"  (which  is 
akin  to  the  verb  "  to  neigh  ")  was  the  common  term  in  reference 
to  the  saddle  horse  of  light  type.  Since  those  early  days  the 
words  "nag"  and  "Hackney"  have  been  in  common  use. 

The  native  home  of  the  Hackney  is  located  in  eastern  and 
northeastern  England,  in  the  counties  of  Suffolk,  Norfolk,  and 
York.  The  people  in  this  region  have  for  centuries  greatly  pat- 
ronized the  saddle  horse  or  roadster.  In  the  fifteenth  century 
trotting  horses  were  highly  esteemed,  and  a  Berney  of  Norfolk 
placed  an  estimate  equivalent  to  $350  on  one  of  his  horses. 

The  original  Hackney  stock  was  subjected  to  variable  influ- 
ences. The  Romans  no  doubt  introduced  horses  from  southern 
Europe,  and  these  must  have  bred  with  the  native  English  stock. 
Following  them  came  Scandinavian  intruders,  and  it  is  assumed 
that  Norwegian  ponies  were  used  in  the  mixture,  giving  British 
horse  stock  both  speed  and  endurance.  The  abundance  of  trot- 
ting horses  in  sections  occupied  by  Danish  settlers  would  indicate 
the  popularity  of  this  type.  Besides  the  commingling  of  different 
strains  of  blood,  some  enactments  on  horse  breeding  and  devel- 
opment took  place  by  royal  decree  as  far  back  as  1495,  when 
Henry  VII  was  on  the  throne.  In  1558  Ralph  Blundeville  of 
Norfolk  produced  the  first  English  book  on  the  horse,  which 
he  designated  "  The  Foure  Chief est  Offices  belonging  to  Horse- 
manship," now  a  rare  and  much-sought  work. 

!The  Hackney  Studbook,  Vol.  I,  1884;  with  a  Historical  Introduction  by 
Henry  F.  Euren. 

70 


THE  HACKNEY  71 

The  early  development  of  Hackneys  really  began  in  the  eight- 
eenth century.  In  Norfolk  there  frequently  appeared  in  the 
papers  advertisements  regarding  horses  for  sale  or  breeding 
purposes,  various  animals  being  named  specifically.  These  state- 
ments showed  the  use  of  Arabian,  Barb,  and  Turkish  stallions 
on  Norfolk  mares.  Undoubtedly  the  road  horses  of  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk  were  much  appreciated  for  speed,  and  any  blood  that 


FIG.  22.  Enfield  Nipper  640  (8133),  a  well-known  prize-winning  Hackney  stallion 

and  sire.    Owned  by  W.  D.  Henry,  Sewickley,  Pennsylvania.    From  photograph 

by  Schreiber  &  Sons 

would  contribute  to  this  purpose  and  not  injure  stamina  was  used. 
Thus  the  Thoroughbred  also  played  a  part  in  early  Hackney 
development. 

The  important  evolution  of  the  Hackney  began  with  a  horse 
variously  known  under  the  names  of  Schales,  Shales,  The  Origi- 
nal Shales,  and  Shields.  This  stallion  was  foaled  in  1755  and 
was  thought  to  be  sired  by  Blaze,  a  son  of  Flying  Childers.  In 
the  breeding  of  this  horse,  registered  in  the  first  volume  of  the 
English  "  Hackney  Studbook "  as  The  Original  Shales  (699), 


72  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

occurs  Arabian,  Turk,  and  Barb  blood.  He  is  but  four  generations 
from  the  Darley  Arabian.  The  Original  Shales  sired  among 
others  one  son,  Scot  Shales  (692),  that  proved  a  great  breeder, 
although  not  famous  for  speed.  He  was  noted  for  getting  "  good 
stock  out  of  common  mares."  In  1782  he  was  "justly  esteemed 
the  best  stallion  known  to  get  good  road  horses."  The  Original 
Shales  was  also  sire  of  Driver  (187),  that  proved  a  great  breeder. 
Coming  along  after  these,  as  important  factors  in  Hackney 
development  and  history,  were  the  following:  Fireaway  (201) 
(Jenkinson's),  foaled  in  1780;  Fireaway  (203)  (West's);  Fire- 
away  (211)  (Flanders');  Pretender  (596)  (Wroot's) ;  Fireaway 
(208)  (Burgess');  Bellfounder  (52)  (Stevens');  Bellfounder  (55) 
(Jary's),  imported  to  America  in  1822;  \Vildfire  (864)  (Rams- 
dale's)  ;  The  Norfolk  Cob  (475) ;  The  Norfolk  Phenomenon  (522)  ; 
Phenomenon  (573)  (Ramsdale's),  foaled  in  1835  ;  Sir  Charles 
Beal's  (768),  foaled  in  1843;  Denmark  (177)  (Bourdas'),  foaled 
in  1862;  Danegelt  (174),  foaled  in  1879  and  died  in -1894. 
During  the  past  fifty  years  the  blood  of  Denmark  and  Danegelt 
has  been  most  potent  in  Hackney  history.  Perhaps  the  five  sires 
of  most  importance  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century 
were  Lord  Derby  2d,  Bourdas'  Denmark,  Triffitt's  Fireaway, 
D'Oyley's  Confidence,  and  Danegelt. 

The  introduction  of  the  Hackney  to  America  dates  back  to 
1822,  when  James  Booth  of  Boston  imported,  from  Liverpool, 
Bellfounder  (55)  (Jary's),  commonly  known  as  imported  Bell- 
founder.  He  was  sired  by  Bellfounder  (52),  with  Pretender  (596) 
for  grandsire,  and  out  of  a  mare  named  Velocity.  The  Bell- 
founders  proved  animals  of  great  speed  and  endurance,  tracing 
back  from  the  original  Fireaways.  Bellfounder  was  the  sire  of 
the  Charles  Kent  Mare,  the  dam  of  Hambletonian  10.  The  great 
speed  in  the  Hambletonian  family  of  trotters  may  justly  be  regarded 
as  tracing  through  the  Bellfounder  lineage. 

It  is  believed  that  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  imported  to 
Canada  in  1830  an  English  Hackney  named  Fireaway,  but  for 
years  no  importations  of  this  breed  other  than  these  two  came 
to  America,  and  they  were  not  brought  over  as  Hackneys.  In 
1 88 1  M.  H.  Cochrane  of  Hillhurst,  Canada,  brought  an  impor- 
tation to  Canada  from  England,  having  among  others  a  fine 


THE  HACKNEY  73 

stallion  named  Fordham,  by  Denmark  (177).  The  first  Hackney 
stud  founded  in  the  United  States  was  established  by  A.  J.  Cas- 
satt  of  Philadelphia.  In  the  spring  of  1883  he  imported  the 
stallion  Little  Wonder  and  the  mares  Patience  and  Buttercup, 
•having  previously  brought  over  the  mare  Stella,  by  Confidence 
(158).  Little  Wonder  was  exhibited  in  1883  and  later  proved 
to  be  a  sire  of  much  excellence.  Other  importations  were 
as  follows:  Prescott  Lawrence,  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  1884; 
J.  B.  Perkins,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  1887;  Henry  Fairfax,  Aldie, 
Virginia,  1888;  John  A.  Logan,  Youngstown,  Ohio,  1888;  Gal- 
braith  Brothers,  Janesville,  Wisconsin  ;  J.  H.  Truman  and  S^ns, 
Bushnell,  Illinois ;  Powell  Brothers,  Springboro,  Pennsylvania ; 
and  some  others,  1889.  In  1890  Dr.  Seward  WTebb,  Shelburne 
Farms,  Vermont,  made  an  importation  of  twenty-seven  mares  and 
four  stallions,  the  most  important  consignment  up  to  this  time. 
Since  then  many  Hackneys  have  been  brought  to  the  United 
States  from  England. 

Hackney  characteristics  are  especially  shown  in  conformation 
and  gait.  The  head  naturally  tends  to  be  wide  in  the  forehead, 
full  in  the  mouth,  with  an  eye  that  is  bold  and  active.  The  neck, 
which  is  often  full  at  the  throatlatch,  inclines  to  coarseness  and 
tends  to  some  crest  effect.  The  body  is  deep  ribbed,  full  in 
front  and  behind,  and  the  back  wide  and  strong.  The  croup  is 
usually  long,  level,  and  wide,  and  the  thighs  are  very  strongly 
muscled.  The  legs  and  feet  are  noted  for  their  soundness.  The 
Hackney  may  perhaps  be  regarded  as  blockier  of  form  than  other 
coach  breeds  of  coblike  character.  Mr.  Henry  F.  Euren  states 
that  the  general  description  of  the  Hackney  which  fitted  both  old 
style  and  new  ideal  is  in  brief  this  :  "  A  powerfully  built,  short- 
legged,  big,  broad  horse,  with  an  intelligent  head,  neat  neck, 
strong,  level  back,  powerful  loins,  and  as  perfect  shoulders  as 
can  be  produced." 

The  gait  of  the  Hackney  originally  had  its  chief  value  in  a  long, 
strong  trot  for  road  work.  With  the  evolution  of  years  the  fashion 
of  modern  times  called  for  the  high-stepper,  with  extravagant 
action.  The  horse  Confidence  (158)  was  the  sire  of  many  horses 
of  this  type  of  gait,  and,  as  some  think,  to  the  detriment  of  the 
breed,  though  "  the  get  of  Confidence  yielded  a  larger  total  profit 


74 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


than  any  other  horse  of  his  day."  While  the  fancy  city  trade 
desires  matched  pairs  with  very  high  action,  this  is  inconsistent 
with  the  most  graceful  or  forceful  movement.  The  ideal  Hackney 
has  a  perfect  walk  and  a  trot  associated  with  a  powerful  stride. 
The  feet  are  carried  clear  and  full  from  the  ground  and  are 
strongly  and  actively  raised  at  the  knee,  while  the  hock  is  carried 
forward  under  the  body  with  much  grace,  strength,  and  action. 
Hayes  states1  that  the  Hackney  has  been  evolved  into  a  light, 

high-stepping,  showy 
carriage  horse  and 
that  his  conformation 
is  not  well  suited  to 
saddle  work  of  the 
present  day,  which  has 
turned  toward  army 
service  and  jumping. 
The  color  of  the 
Hackney  is  commonly 
chestnut,  but  bay  or 
brown  are  rather  fre- 
quent. Black,  roan, 
and  buckskin  are 
found  also,  but  are 
of  rare  occurrence. 
Chestnut  has  become 
almost  a  typical  color 
with  this  breed.  Re- 
ferring to  this  color,  Hayes  says  that  "it  is  an  interesting  fact 
that  chestnut  Hackneys  are  generally  better  shaped  and  have  more 
brilliant  action  than  Hackneys  of  other  colors,  and  consequently 
they  form  the  large  majority  of  winners  at  shows.  This  success 
of  chestnut  color  is  not  always  continued  in  the  sale  ring,  because 
purchasers  of  harness  horses  usually  prefer  bay  or  brown."  White 
markings,  such  as  a  star  or  blaze  on  the  face  or  white  on  the  lower 
part  of  the  leg,  also  occur. 

The  height  of  the  Hackney  shows  considerable  variation,  but 
in  the  larger  type  it  ranges  in  popular  favor  from  15 J  to  15^ 


FIG.  23.  A  Hackney  filly  foal  demonstrating  action 

at  six  weeks  of  age.   From  photograph  by  courtesy 

of  W.  D.  Henry,  Sewickley,  Pennsylvania 


1  M.  H.  Hayes,  The  Points  of  the  Horse.    London,  1904. 


THE  HACKNEY 


75 


hands.  In  1885  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  at 
the  request  of  the  Hackney  Studbook  Society,  increased  the 
standard  height  for  the  breed  to  15^  hands,  and  the  class  was 
well  filled.  There  are  Hackney  ponies  under  14  hands,  Hackney 
cobs  larger  than  ponies,  and  "Hackney  coachers  over  16  hands. 

The  soundness  of  the  Hackney  has  been  made  a  subject  of 
special  study  by  the  English  Hackney  Society.  At  the  first  show 
of  Hackneys  in  London,  in  1885,  some  twenty  mature  stallions 


FIG.  24.    Hildred,  one  of  the  most  perfect  Hackney  mares  in  the  history  of  the 

American  show  ring.    Imported  and  owned  by  the  late  Eben  D.  Jordan,  Boston, 

Massachusetts.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Jordan 

were  selected  by  the  judges  as  absolutely  sound.  For  many  years 
the  Hackney  Society  made  a  rule  that  only  sound  horses,  passing 
a  veterinary  -examination,  should  compete  in  the  annual  show  of 
the  breed.  Thousands  of  horses  have  been  examined,  with  per- 
centages of  rejection  ranging  about  five,  a  rather  remarkable  and 
creditable  showing. 

Half-bred  or  grade  Hackneys  have  been  looked  upon  with  favor 
in  Great  Britain,  while  in  France  Hackney  stallions  have  had 
much  influence.  A  study  of  pedigrees  will  show  an  important 


76  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

relationship  of  Norfolk-Hackney  blood  in  building  up  the  French 
Coach,  and  the  French  have  not  been  backward  in  using  the 
Hackney  for  crossbreeding.  In  America  Hackney  stallions  have 
been  used  in  a  limited  way  in  the  more  eastern  states.  The  late 
Henry  Fairfax  of  Virginia  used  Hackney  stallions  on  common 
farm  mares  with  much  success,  and  grades  of  this  breeding 
have  been  successfully  exhibited.  Some  years  ago  the  late 
John  A.  Logan,  Jr.,  had  an  extensive  Hackney  stud  at  Youngs- 
town,  Ohio,  where  he  had  about  fifty  racing  mares  of  different 
blood  lines.  Crossing  these  with  a  Hackney  stallion,  he  secured 
very  satisfactory  results.  Philip  Baker,  in  an  article  on  the  Hack- 
ney in  war  time,1  in  which  he  discusses  the  influence  of  cross- 
breeding to  secure  substance,  states  that  the  Hackney  on  the 
Thoroughbred,  "when  the  mating  is  undertaken  with  discretion,'' 
produces  offspring  that  is  generally  active,  handsome,  and  pos- 
sessed of  a  good  back,  barrel,  legs,  and  feet,  and,  last  but  not 
least,  is  sound  in  wind  and  eyesight.  These  good-tempered  horses 
can  either  carry  a  heavy  weight  or  draw  a  load,  or  both. 

Imitation  Hackneys  in  the  past  have  had  some  sale,  especially 
in  America.  High-acting  trotters  of  the  right  conformation  have 
been  fixed  by  professionals  to  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  true 
Hackneys.  ^  Dr.  A.  G.  Hopkins,  in  a  letter  to  Captain  Hayes/2 
conveys  to  him  the  methods  in  vogue.  He  writes  : 

During  a  winter's  stay  in  Chicago,  where  I  did  post-graduate  work  with 
Dr.  M.  H.  McKillip,  who  is  the  leading  veterinarian  in  that  city,  I  helped  in 
several  of  these  operations.  Standard-bred  stallions,  often  with  marks  of  from 
2:40  to  2:25,  are  procured  and  castrated.  Later  on  they  are  docked  and  their 
tails  set  up  by  nicking,  and  when  they  get  great  growth  of  foot  and  plenty  of 
iron,  they  can  pull  their  knees  up  to  their  chins.  The  Anglomaniac  gets  caught, 
for  he  knows  nothing  about  horses.  The  imitation  Hackney  seldom  bends  his 
hocks  properly,  and  when  he  is  pushed  he  often  spraddles,  as  the  trotter  does 
in  the  sulky. 

The  distribution  of  the  Hackney  is  more  widespread  than  that 
of  any  other  coach-horse  breed.  It  is  generally  found  in  the  east- 
ern and  north  central  United  States  —  Pennsylvania,  New  York, 
Massachusetts,  and  Illinois  being  breeding  centers.  It  is  also 

1  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac,  1917,  London. 
-  The  Points  of  the  Horse,  p.  568. 


THE  HACKNEY  77 

0 

found  almost  all  over  the  world.  Horses  have  been  exported 
from  England  to  Africa,  Australia,  Belgium,  Argentina,  Canada, 
Denmark,  France,  Germany,  Holland,  Italy,  Japan,  New  Zealand, 
Spain,  the  United  States,  and  elsewhere. 

The  effect  of  the  motor  on  Hackney  breeding  has  been  very 
serious,  as  might  have  been  expected.  At  the  present  time  there 
are  very  few  breeding  studs  in  America,  and  these  are  largely  for 
the  purpose  of  turning  out  show-ring  horses.  The  horse  show 
is  yet  in  public  favor,  and  while  the  jumper  is  receiving  great 
attention  both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  the  harness  horse  also 
awakens  keen  interest.  In  this  capacity  the  Hackney  heads  the 
list  in  English-speaking  countries. 

The  promotion  of  the  Hackney  in  England  has  been  cared  for 
by  the  Hackney  Horse  Society,  organized  in  1883  and  publish- 
ing its  first  studbook  in  1884.  Up  to  1917  this  society  had 
published  thirty-four  studbooks.  The  American  Hackney  Horse 
Society  was  organized  in  1891  and  published  its  first  studbook 
in  1893.  Up  to  1918  the  society  had  published  four  studbooks. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  FRENCH  COACH 

Horse  racing  in  France  dates  back  several  centuries.  It  is  said 
that  racing  was  practiced  in  1323  under  Charles  le  Bel  and  even 
earlier.  Systematic  attempts  to  improve  the  racing  horse  began 
during  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Colbert,  one  of  the  ministers  of  Louis  XIV, 


FIG.  25.    A  corner  of  the  stable  yard  of  M.  Gaston  Fanet,  Fontaine-Henry, 

Calvados,    France,    in   the    French    Coach    country.    The  wall    ornaments    are 

medals  indicating  prizes  won  at  shows;    such  medals  often  decorate  French 

stables.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

founded  the  "  Administration  des  Haras."  During  these  early 
days  more  or  less  horse  racing  was  engaged  in,  but  in  no  per- 
sistent form.  French  horses  were  taken  to  England  between  1775 
and  1790  and  raced  on  the  turf  by  French  owners.  The  French 
saw  the  merit  of  the  English  Thoroughbreds,  and  along  in  this 
period  they  began  to  buy  and  send  them  to  France  for  both 
breeding  and  racing  purposes.  Several  of  the  sires  taken  to 

78 


THE  FRENCH  COACH 


79 


France  in  and  about  1/76  became  famous,  as,  for  example, 
Comus,  by  Otho;  Glowworm,  by  Eclipse;  King  Pepin,  by  Turf;  and 
Pyrois,  by  Matchem.  Some  mares  were  also  taken  across  the 
Channel.  Very  early  in  the  nineteenth  century  Napoleon  the 
Great  undertook  to  promote  the  development  of  the  horse,  though 
he  had  in  view  the  army  service  as  well  as  use  on  the  turf. 

The  French  Jockey  Club  was  organized  in  1833,  and  with  it 
came  the  first  real  influential  development  of  the  light  horse  in 
France.  This  club  was  aristocratic,  wealthy,  and  influential,  and 
it  began  to  promote 
racing  and  breeding. 
Since  that  time  the 
government's  haras, 
the  Jockey  Club,  and 
horse-breeding  socie- 
ties have  done  much 
to  improve  the  horses 
of  France. 

Origin  of  the  French 
Coach  horse.  The 
term  "  French  Coach  " 
is  an  American  one, 
there  being  no  breed 
of  that  name  in 
France.  The  type  of 
horse  that  we  know  by 
this  name  in  America  is  termed  Demi-Sang  in  France,  meaning 
"  half-blood."  These  horses  when  descended  from  English  sires, 
especially  Thoroughbreds  and  Norman  mares,  have  been  called 
Anglo-Normans  and  are  often  referred  to  as  such.  Hackney,  Arab, 
and  other  blood  has  also  been  used  in  developing  the  Demi-Sang. 

Characteristics  of  the  French  Coach.  This  breed  really  pre- 
sents some  variation  in  type.  The  larger,  smoother  sort  at  one 
time  brought  to  America  is  what  we  know  as  the  coacher.  These 
generally  average  about  16  hands  high  for  stallions  and  geldings 
of  maturity.  Mares  will  stand  from  15  to  16  hands.  Stallions  in 
fair  condition,  weighing  about  1350  pounds,  may  be  regarded  as 
acceptable  in  weight,  with  mares  at  1200  pounds.  There  is  also 


FIG.  26.    Flirteur,  three-year-old  French  Coach  stal- 
lion, champion  at  the  Paris  Horse  Show,  1908.   From 
photograph  by  the  author 


8o 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


a  smaller,  more  cobby  type  of  coacher,  or  French  trotter,  that  is 
highly  valued  by  the  French  for  its  speed  quality. 

The  French  Coach  is  characterized  by  very  good  length  of  body, 
with  a  long,  somewhat  arching  neck  and  a  long,  wide,  level  croup. 
The  trot  of  this  breed  is  long  and  powerful,  rather  than  high  and 
trappy  like  the  Hackney.  The  French  have  sought  strong  bone 
and  excellent  feet  and  great  speed  for  a  heavy  type  of  trotter. 

There  is  not  a  great  variation  in  color,  bay  in  varying  shades 
and  brown  being  most  common.  Of  147  stallions  and  mares 

owned  at  one  time  by 
two  of  the  leading 
dealers  in  the  United 
States  there  were  90 
bays  or  brown  bays, 
29  browns,  1 7  blacks, 
and  1 1  chestnuts. 

The  French  race 
track,  which  is  either 
two  and  one-half  or 
two  miles  long,  is 
over  a  course  of  turf. 
The  sod  track  causes  a 
high  knee  action  and 
long  stride  as  well  as 
a  strong,  well-flexed 


FIG.  27.    A  French  Coach  mare  on  pasture  in  Cal- 
vados.   From  photograph  by  the  author 


hock  movement. 

Speed    records    of 
French  Coachers.  As 

might  naturally  be  supposed,  the  use  of  stallions  from  high-class 
speed  ancestry  on  French  mares  produced  fast  trotters.  The  horses 
of  France,  however,  have  never  made  as  fast  time  as  those  of 
America.  In  1873  Niger  trotted  2|  miles  in  6:55,  while  up  to 
1877  the  fastest  record  was  by  Pactole,  who  made  2^  miles  in 
6:38.  In  1891  there  were  1399  contestants  in  races,  312  of  which 
trotted  races  from  2  to  3|  miles  at  less  than  3  minutes  per  mile, 
137  under  2:50,  112  under  2:45,  and  62  under  2:40. 

The  distribution  of  the  French  Coach  horse  is  confined  almost  ex- 
clusively to  France,  although  in  the  past  the  breed  was  extensively 


THE  FRENCH  COACH  8 1 

exported  to  various  European  countries  and  to  the  United  States. 
The  late  Mark  W.  Dunham  of  Illinois  was  a  prominent  importer 
and  breeder  and  had  a  large  stud,  as  did  also  Powell  Brothers 
of  Springboro,  Pennsylvania.  McLaughlin  Brothers  of  Ohio  were 
active  importers  for  many  years.  The  French  Coach,  however, 
never  made  an  acceptable  record  in  America,  though  a  great 
favorite  in  France,  where  it  has  in  the  past  been  the  leading 
breed.  The  advent  of  the  automobile  effectively  destroyed  the 
foothold  of  the  French  Coach  in  America  and  greatly  reduced 
its  use  in  France. 

The  American  French  Coach  studbook.  There  were  at  one  time 
two  societies  in  the  United  States  for  French  Coach  horses,  namely, 
the  French  Coach  Horse  Society,  with  headquarters  at  Chicago, 
Illinois,  and  the  French  Coach  Registry  Company,  with  head- 
quarters at  Columbus,  Ohio.  The  former  was  organized  in  1885 
and  published  its  first  and  only  studbook  in  1906.  The  French 
Coach  Registry  Company  was  organized  in  1904  and  published 
Volume  II,  its  last  studbook,  in  1908.  Both  of  these  associations 
are  now  defunct,  as  the  French  Coach  horse  is  practically  extinct 
in  America. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  GERMAN  COACH 

The  native  home  of  the  German  Coach  horse  is  in  northwestern 
Germany  in  the  rich  lowlands  drained  by  the  rivers  Elbe,  Weser, 
and  Ems,  which  flow  into  the  North  Sea.  Here,  especially  in  the 
states  of  Hanover,  Oldenburg,  and  Schleswig-Holstein,  this  type 
of  coach  horse  has  long  been  bred. 

Early  records  of  horse  breeding  in  Germany  go  back  about  five 
centuries.  As  early  as  1500  important  fairs  in  Friesland  on  the 
German  border  were  patronized  by  Dutch,  Belgian,  and  German 
horse  buyers.  From  1628  to  1648  Count  Ulrich  II  owned  stables 
of  much  importance.  In  1648  a  government  stud  was  established 
at  Ilo,  Germany.  From  these  early  days,  up  to  the  World  War, 
horse-breeding  operations  in  Oldenburg  and  Hanover  were  exten- 
sively conducted.  Government  supervision  has  prevailed  over  the 
horse  breeding  in  this  section  of  Germany. 

The  introduction  of  the  German  Coach  horse  to  America  is 
comparatively  recent.  These  horses  were  first  brought  to  the 
United  States  along  in  the  eighties.  Not  much  prior  to  1890  did 
the  breed  receive  recognition  at  American  shows.  A.  B.  Holbert, 
of  Greeley,  Iowa,  was  one  of  the  earliest  introducers  of  the  breed. 
The  Oltmann  Brothers  of  Illinois  and  Crouch  and  Son  of  Indiana 
were  also  actively  and  prominently  identified  with  its  promotion 
during  its  career  in  the  United  States. 

Characteristics  of  the  German  Coach  horse.  In  height  the  breed 
ranges  from  16  to  i6|-  hands  and  in  weight  from  1350  to  1450 
pounds.  The  color  does  not  vary  greatly,  being  almost  exclusively 
bay,  brown,  or  black.  The  head  is  fairly  typical  of  the  coachers, 
the  neck  being  long  and  arched,  the  shoulders  well  placed,  and 
the  withers  prominent.  The  body  of  the  German  Coach  is  some- 
what larger  than  that  of  the  French  Coach,  and  the  croup  is  high 
and  the  tail  well  placed.  The  legs  show  considerable  length,  com- 
pared with  the  Hackney,  while  the  feet  are  excellent.  On  the  basis 

82 


THE  GERMAN  COACH  83 

of  many  specimens  brought  to  this  country,  seen  by  the  writer,  the 
German  Coach  varies  materially  in  size  and  quality.  Coarseness  is 
not  uncommon,  as  seen  in  large  heads  and  joints  with  more  or  less 
grossness  of  bone.  In  action  there  is  a  wide  difference  of  merit 
and,  from  the  coach-horse  point  of  view,  frequent  deficiency.  A 
superior  folding  of  knee  and  flexing  of  hock,  with  desirable  activity, 
is  not  a  prevailing  attribute  of  American  specimens  of  the  breed. 


FIG.  28.    Hannibal,    a   German    Coach    stallion,  imported   by   Crouch   &   Son, 

Lafayette,    Indiana.     A    prize    winner    of   the    highest    rank    at   many   shows. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

The  type  of  German  Coach  horse  seen  in  America  possesses 
some  considerable  variation.  In  1893,  at  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition  at  Chicago,  an  exhibit  of  over  eighty  German  Coach 
horses  was  made,  including  special  exhibits  from  Germany  made 
by  the  Oldenburg  Agricultural  Society,  the  Hanoverian  Agri- 
cultural Society  of  central  Germany,  and  the  East  Friesland 
Head  Agricultural  Society.  There  was  some  considerable  varia- 
tion in  the  types  shown,  and  following  the  awards  by  German 


84  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

judges  came  pronounced  objection  and  dissatisfaction.  This  re- 
sulted in  an  editorial  statement  on  the  German  Coach  type,  which 
appeared  in  the  Breeders  Gazette  and  was  authorized  by  the 
German  judges.  This  statement  is  of  importance  to  American 
students  and  so  is  given  here  : 

The  visiting  German  horsemen  make  the  following  claims  concerning  the 
light  types  of  horses.  Four  types  of  light-legged  horses  are  recognized,  and 
each  now  has  its  separate  studbook.  The  Trakehner  is  the  lightest  of  all 
and  is  a  carriage  and  saddle  horse,  not  a  heavy  coacher.  The  Hohtein  and 
Hanoverian  horses  are  about  the  same  type,  but  the  Hanoverians  are  more 
used  for  saddle  horses  and  the  Holsteins  for  carriage  horses.  This  difference 
in  use  implies  somewhat  of  a  difference  in  action.  The  Oldenburg  is  the 
heaviest  type,  and  these  horses  are  used  for  heavy  coach  work,  such  as  state 
coaches,  and  as  farm  or  all-purpose  horses,  and  are  not  put  under  saddle. 
Then  there  are  the  East  Friesland  horses,  which  are  practically  Oldenburgs, 
as  they  are  bred  from  Oldenburg  sires.  It  is  claimed  that  these  distinctions 
are  actual  rather  than  artificial. 

The  distribution  of  German  Coach  horses  has  been  very  wide- 
spread. They  have  been  sold  to  various  European  countries, 
South  America,  South  Africa,  the  United  States,  and  Canadian 
Northwest.  For  years  the  most  prominent  importers,  exhibitors, 
and  promoters  of  the  breed  had  headquarters  in  Indiana,  Illinois, 
and  Iowa.  As  these  horses  never  met  with  a  very  favorable 
reception  in  America,  no  stables  of  importance  were  established, 
and  since  1914  the  breed  has  practically  disappeared  from 
American  trade. 

German  Coach  horse  organization  in  America  began  in  1892 
with  the  incorporation,  under  the  laws  of  Illinois,  of  the  German, 
Hanoverian,  and  Oldenburg  Coach  Horse  Association.  Very  soon 
after  the  organization  of  this  association  came  the  Oldenburg 
Coach  Horse  Association,  which  was  also  incorporated  in  Illinois, 
but  from  which  very  little  was  ever  heard.  The  former  association 
published  two  volumes  of  studbooks,  up  to  1906,  containing  the 
registration  of  3849  animals,  mostly  stallions. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  CLEVELAND. BAY 

The  native  home  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  is  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land. The  breeding  center  at  present  is  in  the  counties  of  York, 
Durham,  and  Northumberland.  In  the  Cleveland  hills  of  York- 
shire it  has  been  bred  in  its  greatest  purity  and  derives  its  name 
from  this  region. 

The  origin  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  is  very  obscure.  Various 
claims  have  been  made  as  to  its  ancestry.  Perhaps  the  most 
reasonable  explanation  is  that  it  is  the  result  of  breeding  Thorough- 
breds on  British  cart-horse  mares.  The  use  of  Scandinavian  horses 
has  also  been  suggested,  thus  accounting  for  the  black  points  in 
the  Cleveland.  The  British  studbook  states  that  with  the  pure 
Cleveland  of  merit  the  ancestry  will  go  back  to  one  or  more  of 
the  three  families  that  are  descendants  of  Dart  (83),  The  Hob 
Horse  (316),  and  Barley  Harvest  (447). 

The  introduction  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  to  America  dates  back 
about  a  century.  In  1820  R.  Patterson  of  Maryland  imported  a 
Cleveland  Bay  stallion  named  Exile,  which  in  1822  was  exhibited 
at  the  show  of  the  Maryland  Agricultural  Society,  receiving 
honorable  mention.1  However,  the  breed  gained  no  foothold.  Along 
in  the  eighties  quite  a  number  were  imported.  At  one  time 
Stericker  Brothers,  then  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  had  a  large  stud 
of  this  breed  and  made  most  attractive  exhibits.  The  people  of 
the  United  States,  however,  have  never  been  favorably  impressed, 
consequently  Cleveland  Bay  interests  have  essentially  died  out, 
and  these  horses  are  now  unknown  in  our  shows.  In  1900  the 
class  for  Cleveland  Bays  at  the  Illinois  State  Fair  was  discontinued, 
yet  Illinois  but  a  few  years  before  had  the  principal  stud  of  this 
breed  in  America.  Neither  is  there  anyone  prominently  advocat- 
ing—  in  the  press  or  otherwise  —  the  merits  of  the  breed. 

1  American  Farmer,  July  5,  1822, 
85 


86 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


Cleveland  Bay  characteristics.  The  color  is  always  bay,  either 
light  or  dark,  with  black  legs,  mane,  and  tail.  White  is  not 
permissible,  except  a  small  star  in  the  forehead  or  a  few  white 
hairs  on  the  heel.  More  white,  the  breeders  say,  indicates  foreign 
blood.  The  color  may  be  dappled,  and  dark  bars  may  occasionally 
be  seen  on  the  lower  arm  or  possibly  a  trifle  above  the  hock. 


FIG.  29.    Special  Delight.    Champion  Cleveland  Bay  stallion  at  the  show  of  the 

Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  William 

Cooper  &  Nephews,  England 

The  body  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  is  of  the  larger  coach  type,  with 
long,  sloping  shoulder  and  high,  broad  croup.  The  head  has  been 
regarded  as  lacking  in  refinement,  while  the  limbs  have  not  as 
much  quality  as  the  best  market  demands.  In  action  the  move- 
ment is  strong  and  powerful,  but  not  stylish.  The  breed  is  per- 
haps the  largest  of  the  coach  type,  but  lacks  somewhat  the  quality 
of  the  prominent  coach  breeds.  The  height  ranges  from  16^  to 


THE  CLEVELAND  BAY  87 

i6|  hands  and  the  weight  from  1200  to  1400  pounds.   Thirteen 
hundred  pounds  is  a  very  acceptable  weight. 

Cleveland  Bays  as  roadsters  have  always  had  fame  in  England 
for  this  quality.  Cases  have  been  known  where  the  Cleveland 
Bay  has  traveled  from  sixty  to  seventy  miles  within  twenty-four 
hours,  with  heavy  loads,  tRree  or  four  times  a  week,  besides 
being  employed  occasionally  on  intermediate  days.  Hodgson,  in 
a  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  says  : 

I  knew  a  Cleveland  mare  that  carried  a  man  seventy  miles  a  day  for  a  week 
together.  Tommy  Miles,  of  Harlsey,  near  Northallerton,  rode  his  Cleveland 
mare  to  York  for  a  week  together,  to  have  his  name  called  over  in  court  as  a 
juryman;  he  was  in  York  by  nine  o'clock  every  morning  (thirty-five  miles), 
and  slept  in  his  own  bed  at  Harlsey  (thirty-five  miles)  every  night. 

The  distribution  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  is  rather  widespread, 
they  having  been  exported  to  various  parts  of  the  world,  includ- 
ing Sweden,  Canada,  the  United  States,  South  Africa,  Australia, 
and  South  America.  At  the  present  time  a  large  share  of  those 
exported  go  to  South  Africa. 

Organizations  to  promote  the  Cleveland  Bay  exist  in  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States.  In  England  the  Cleveland  Bay 
Horse  Society  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  with  headquarters 
in  Yorkshire,  attends  to  registering  and  promoting  the  breed. 
In  the  United  States  the  Cleveland  Bay  Society  of  America  was 
organized  in  1885.  Up  to  1917  this  society  had  published  three 
studbooks. 

The  Yorkshire  Coach  horse  bears  a  peculiar  relationship  to 
the  Cleveland  Bay  and  calls  for  some  consideration  at  this  point. 
In  England  there  is  a  Yorkshire  Coach  Horse  Society  in  addition 
to  the  Cleveland  Society,  and  horses  of  each  kind  are  registered 
separately.  In  America,  however,  Yorkshire  Coach  horses  and 
Cleveland  Bays  are  regarded  as  one  breed  and  are  registered  in 
the  "  Cleveland  Bay  Studbook  of  North  America."  The  Yorkshire 
Coach  horse  is  of  more  recent  development  than  the  Cleveland 
and  has  been  designated  as  an  improved  Cleveland.  It  tends  to 
be  smaller  in  size,  is  more  coachy  in  action,  and  has  perhaps 
more  quality.  The  improved  quality  is  due  to  Thoroughbred 
blood.  In  the  "Yorkshire  Coach  Horse  Studbook  of  England," 


88  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

published  in  1887  by  the  Yorkshire  Coach  Horse  Society,  is 
the  following  official  statement  of  "The  Origin  and  Character- 
istics of  the  Yorkshire  Coach  Horse  "  : 

It  cannot  be  claimed  for  the  Yorkshire  Coach  horse  that  he  is  a  pure-bred 
animal,  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  by  the  judicious  crossing  of  large-sized,  good- 
colored  mares  with  stallions  altogether  or  nearly  Thoroughbred  a  class  of  horses 
has  been  produced  suited  to  the  wants  and  circumstances  of  the  times.  By  uni- 
versal consent  the  color  should  be  bay  or  brown,  with  black  eyes,  mane  and  tail 
abundant  but  not  curly,  the  height  from  16  hands  to  16  hands  2  inches,  with 
fine  head,  sloping  shoulders,  strong  loins,  and  lengthy  quarters,  high-stepping 
action,  good  sound  feet,  flat  legs,  and  abundance  of  bone  and  muscle. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  DRAFT-HORSE  TYPE 

The  general  conformation  of  the  draft  horse  involves  a  massive 
form,  a  compact  and  blocky  body,  and  a  comparative  shortness 
and  strength  of  limb,  the  whole  being  in  harmonious  proportion. 
Weight  is  a  most  important  consideration,  for  a  true  draft  horse 
must  weigh  heavy  compared  with  the  lighter  type.  A  draft  horse 
in  fair  condition  at  maturity  may  weigh  anywhere  from  1600 
to  2000  or  more  pounds.  Grouped  into  classes,  the  light  draft 
horse  may  weigh  usually  from  1600  to  1700  pounds,  the  medium 
from  1700  to  1850,  and  the  heavy  from  1850  up.  The  greater 
the  weight,  as  a  rule,  the  higher  the  price  paid  for  the  superior 
specimen  of  the  type.  In  order  to  pull  heavy  loads  the  draft 
horse  must  possess  plenty  of  weight.  It  is  very  evident  that  the 
heavy  horse  in  harness  brings  greater  power  into  the  collar  than 
does  the  lighter  one. 

In  discussing  the  medium  of  draft  Hayes  writes  as  follows : 

Bodily  weight  is  of  special  use  in  draft  on  slippery  roads,  such  as  those  of 
wood  pavements  and  asphalt,  because  in  such  case  the  security  of  the  foothold 
of  a  heavy  horse  would  not  be  so  much  endangered  as  that  of  a  lighter  though 
equally  strong  animal.  Also,  the  employment  of  bodily  weight  on  a  smooth 
and  level  road  would  entail  less  strain  and  fatigue  than  that  of  muscular  pro- 
pulsion. Hence,  improvements  in  roads  have  been  accompanied  by  increase  in 
weight  of  the  cart  horse.  The  question  as  to  the  relative  proportions  of  the 
weight  and  strength  of  these  animals  cannot  be  decided  with  accuracy  owing 
to  the  infinite  variety  of  conditions  which  would  have  to  be  considered.  We 
may,  however,  take  for  granted  that  the  comparative  weight  which  would  be 
an  advantage  to  a  heavy  draft  horse  in  a  city  like  London  would  be  a  decided 
drawback  to  the  efficiency  of  a  cart  horse  that  had  to  do  his  work  on  arable 
land,  especially  if  it  was  rough,  like  on  ridge  and  furrow ;  because  the  raising 
of  his  weight  at  each  step  would  entail  far  greater  muscular  exertion  than  if 
his  labor  was  on  a  smooth  road. 

The  height  is  not  so  material  provided  there  is  the  necessary 
weight.  Draft  horses  usually  stand  from  16  to  \J\  hands,  though 
occasional  exceptions  occur.  The  light  draft  represents  the  lesser 


90  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

height,  and  as  the  weight  increases,  the  height  may  also  bear  a 
relationship  to  it.  Quality  and  substance,  as  shown  in  hair,  bone, 
and  joints,  should  be  preeminent  with  this  horse.  The  hair 
should  be  fine  and  silky,  even  if  long,  and  the  bone  smooth  and 
attractive,  with  neatly  turned  joints,  the  lower  limbs  being  gener- 
ally free  from  all  superfluous  fleshiness.  Coarse  joints  are  usually 
associated  with  coarse  and  poor  bone  and  feet  and  often  with  a 
coarse  and  undesirable  head.  The  long  hair  on  the  leg  of  the 
Clydesdale  or  Shire  is  indicative  of  quality,  fine  silky  hair  being 
associated  with  superior  bone  and  feet. 

The  head  should  be  lean,  not  out  of  proportion  with  the  body, 
and  have  plenty  of  breadth  between  the  eyes,  which  should  be 
reasonably  prominent  and  bright.  The  nose  and  muzzle  should  be 
broad  yet  not  coarse,  with  nostrils  of  ample  size  for  easy  breathing. 
Nicely  matched  lips  and  strong  cheeks  and  lower  jaws  help  to 
make  a  strong  head  with  character.  The  head  should  be  crowned 
with  fine  ears  of  medium  size,  gracefully  placed  and  carried. 

The  neck  of  the  draft  horse  should  be  strong  and  muscular, 
supporting  the  head  cleanly  and  gracefully  and  being  joined 
smoothly  and  deeply  at  the  body.  Some  arch  to  the  neck  is 
desirable  ;  this  should  appear  in  a  very  small  degree  with  mares 
and  geldings,  yet  enough  to  suggest  power. 

The  shoulders  should  not  be  as  long  and  sloping  as  with  a 
light  driver,  but  more  upright,  being  well  set  into  the  back  —  a 
happy  medium  between  the  straight  and  sloping  shoulder  giving 
the  best  power  and  movement  for  the  draft  horse.  Too  straight 
a  shoulder  promotes  excessive  concussion  and  bone  trouble  of 
the  limbs  and  feet.  Smoothness  of  shoulder  is  essential,  for 
roughness  and  prominence  will  be  sure  to  involve  soreness  and 
trouble  from  fit  of  collar. 

The  chest  should  be  full  and  deep,  indicating  large  capacity 
of  the  vital  organs.  Narrowness  behind  the  shoulders  is  quite 
common  and  indicates  defective  constitution.  Too  much  thick- 
ness of  chest  —  an  unusual  occurrence  —  may  cause  a  swaying 
movement  in  action. 

The  arm  must  be  large  and  muscular  and  placed  so  as  to 
bring  the  legs  in  proper  position  under  the  body  arid  not  standing 
out  at  the  corners. 


THE  DRAFT-HORSE  TYPE 


The  forearm  should  be  comparatively  long,  broadly  and  strongly 
muscled  in  its  upper  part,  and  gradually  taper  to  the  knee.  A 
powerful  forearm  on  the  draft  horse  is  highly  important,  and  its 
value  is  not  likely  to  be  overestimated. 

The  knee  must  be  broad,  as  viewed  from  the  front,  be  well 
carried  back,  and  be  amply  supported  from  below  by  the  cannon 
bone.  This  part  should  be  neat,  hard,  and  cleanly  jointed. 


FIG.  30.    A  fine  example  of  draft  type.   From  photograph  by  John  W.  Hills 

The  cannon  bone  is  round,  but  has  tendons  extending  down 
its  back  edge,  more  or  less  separated  from  the  bone.  As  viewed 
from  one  side,  the  cannon  and  its  attachment  should  be  deep, 
amply  supporting  the  knee ;  viewed  from  rear  or  front  it  should 
be  quite  flat,  thus  representing  the  strongest  conformation.  Often 
the  cannon  is  tied  in  beneath  the  knee,  which  indicates  weakness. 
A  long  or  rounded  cannon  shows  faulty  conformation.  Flatness 


92  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

and  shortness  below  the  knee  are  always  associated  with  the  best 
development.  A  fair  girth  at  the  smallest  point  is  9|  inches. 
A  large  girth,  however,  does  not  always  indicate  proper  develop- 
ment, as  the  leg  may  be  coarse  and  out  of  proportion. 

The />//<?£/£,  or,  as  it  is  often  called,  the  pastern  joint,  must  be 
smooth  and  deep,  with  no  roughness.  It  is  from  the  tuft  of  hair 
which  grows  at  the  back  of  this  joint  that  the  name  "  fetlock" 
(feetlock)  is  derived. 

The  pastern  is  an  important  part  of  the  leg.  It  should  be 
fairly  long,  be  perfectly  smooth  and  free  from  extra  flesh,  and 
stand  at  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees.  At  this  slope  concussion 
is  received  in  perhaps  the  least  degree  and  with  least  injury  to 
the  foot  and  leg.  There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  among 
horsemen  on  the  length  of  pastern,  some  preferring  one  reason- 
ably long  and  others  one  of  medium  length.  The  slope  is  more 
important  than  the  length,  but  no  doubt  better  feet  prevail  where 
the  pastern  leans  toward  length  rather  than  shortness.  Sidebones, 
ringbones,  and  other  foot  troubles  are  most  prevalent  with  short, 
straight-pasterned  draft  horses.  As  the  horse  naturally  places  the 
foot  in  action,  the  pressure  first  comes  on  the  frog  and  is  then 
distributed  over  the  rest  of  the  foot.  If  the  pastern  is  straight, 
the  toe  and  front  of  the  foot  strike  first,  and  thus  the  concussion 
is  aggravated. 

The  foot  ought  to  be  large,  the  hoof  dense  and  preferably  dark 
in  color,  the  sole  concave,  and  the  frog  large.  There  is  an  old 
saying,  "  No  foot,  no  horse."  Sound  feet  are  absolutely  essential 
to  comfort  and  efficiency  of  work.  The  interior  of  the  foot  con- 
tains very  sensitive  nerves  and  membranes.  If  the  foot  is  too 
small  and  contracted,  if  the  frog  is  too  narrow  and  low,  inflam- 
mation of  the  membranes  will  frequently  follow.  The  ample  foot, 
wide  on  top  and  behind,  well  supported  at  the  heel  and  carried 
true  in  movement,  turning  neither  in  nor  out  at  the  toe,  is  least 
likely  to  be  troubled  with  disease. 

The  body  should  be  short  on  top,  long  below,  broad  along  the 
back,  with  the  ribs  strongly  arched  and  of  great  depth.  A  long 
back  indicates  weakness  of  both  constitution  and  draft  power, 
while  a  short,  deeply  muscled  back  means  strength.  Ribs  well 
sprung  and  deep  show  capacity  of  the  internal  organs,  indicate  a 


THE  DRAFT-HORSE  TYPE  93 

good  feeder,  and  materially  add  to  the  weight  necessary  in  the 
drafter.  Usually  satisfactory  rib  development  provides  a  proper 
body  conformation.  Often  immature  horses  appear  to  lack  depth 
of  body  to  some  degree,  but  age  and  feeding  establish  the  proper- 
proportions.  The  horse  that  lacks  depth  of  body  will  also  lack 
such  essentials  as  capacity  and  the  power  of  endurance. 

The  loin  should  be  broad  and  thickly  muscled.  Narrow,  thin 
loins  indicate  weakness  of  a  serious  character.  Often  the  loin  is 
depressed  directly  in  front  of  the  space  between  the  hips,  a  dis- 
tinctly undesirable  conformation.  Animals  with  a  sway  back,  as  a 
rule,  show  this  weakness  of  loin. 

The  croup  should  be  broad,  wide,  fairly  level,  and  heavily  mus- 
cled. A  steep  croup  is  very  objectionable  and  affects  both  the 
beauty  and  power  of  the  horse.  A  short,  steep  croup  is  less 
strongly  muscled  than  one  that  is  long.  The  Belgian  and  French 
draft  breeds  seem  most  subject  to  steepness  of  croup  and  low 
setting  of  tail. 

The  thigh  should  be  strongly  muscled,  and  the  quarters  should 
be  thick  and  full.  A  horse  split  up  high  behind,  with  a  thin, 
sharply  tapering  thigh,  lacks  good  draft  form  at  this  place.  The 
gaskin,  or  lower  thigh,  when  properly  made,  is  deep  from  front 
to  rear  and  heavily  covered  with  muscle. 

The  hock  is  a  part  which  requires  careful  study.  As  viewed 
from  one  side,  it  should  show  considerable  depth,  while  from 
the  rear  it  should  possess  a  certain  degree  of  thinness,  though 
broad  in  front,  the  entire  joint  being  free  from  extra  flesh. 
Thick  hocks  are  very  common  with  draft  horses,  due  to  various 
reasons.  The  joint  may  be  fleshy,  puffiness  may  occur  from  lack 
of  exercise,  or  a  form  of  spavin  may  exist.  The  hock  should  be 
smooth  and  its  various  natural  curves  well  defined.  As  the  horse 
stands  in  a  natural  position  on  his  feet,  the  hocks  should  be 
straight  and  true  as  viewed  from  behind,  showing  no  evidence 
of  weakness.  Where  the  hock  holds  a  correct  position  the  hind 
feet  also  stand  true,  neither  toeing  in  nor  out.  When  toeing  out 
the  points  of  the  hock  come  too  close  together,  while  if  toeing 
in  notably  the  points  may  be  wide  apart  and  the  hocks  appear 
springy  and  weak  when  in  action.  The  hock  should  be  supported 
by  a  wide,  thin,  clean-boned  cannon,  which  may  be  about  eleven 


94  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

inches  in  girth  at  its  smallest  point.  A  true  position  of  the 
hind  leg  may  be  ascertained  by  the  use  of  the  plumb  line,  which, 
dropped  from  the  point  of  the  buttock  or  croup,  viewed  from 
behind,  should  pass  the  center  of  point  of  hock,  cannon,  pastern, 
and  foot.  From  one  side  it  should  pass  parallel  to  the  entire  edge 
of  the  cannon  and,  when  suspended  from  the  point  of  the  hip, 
should  pass  the  gaskin  at  the  center  and  drop  to  the  center  of 
the  foot. 

The  action  of  the  draft  horse  should  be  true  and  bold.  As  the 
horse  comes  toward  one  or  goes  from  him  the  line  of  movement 
of  the  limbs  should  be  true,  the  feet  being  carried  straight  away, 
with  no  so-called  paddling  or  irregularity  of  gait.  The  feet  should 
be  picked  'up  with  snap,  whether  at  walk  or  trot,  and  carried  clear 
of  the  ground,  showing  the  sole  of  the  foot  clearly  in  the  move- 
ment. High  knee  action  is  not  essential,  but  a  strong,  full,  true 
movement  of  both  knee  and  hock,  without  dragging  or  stiffness, 
is  very  important.  The  draft  horse  should  have  an  active  walk, 
for  the  value  of  a  fast  walker  considerably  exceeds  that  of  the 
sluggish  type.  In  the  sale  or  show  ring  high-class  action  with  a 
draft  horse  adds  materially  to  the  selling  or  show  value,  no  matter 
what  the  breed.  A  free  and  easy  movement  of  knee  and  hock  is 
essential  to  high-class  action.  In  connection  with  good  action  the 
head  and  neck  should  be  carried  high,  with  style  and  animation. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  PERCHERON 

The  native  home  of  the  Percheron  horse  is  in  France,  in  a 
region  known  in  that  country  as  the  Perche.  In  northwestern 
France,  bounded  on  the  north  and  west  by  the  sea,  is  the  prov- 
ince of  Normandy.  It  comprises  nearly  7,000,000  acres  and  is 
divided  into  five  geographical  or  civil  departments,  —  La  Manche, 
Calvados,  Orne,  Eure,  and  Seine-Inferieure.  South  and  east  of 
Normandy  is  the  old  province  of  Orleans,  containing  the  depart- 
ments of  Loiret,  Eure-et-Loir,  and  Loir-et-Cher.  Within  this 
territory,  including  more  or  less  of  Eure,  Orne,  Eure-et-Loir, 
Sarthe,  and  Loir-et-Cher,  is  the  Perche.  This  locality  —  for  it  has 
no  civil,  organization  under  this  name  —  embraces  an  area  of  about 
fifty-three  by  sixty-six  miles.  The  surface  of  the  country  is  rather 
broken,  having  an  altitude  ranging  from  about  270  to  750  feet, 
and  is  interspersed  with  numerous  pretty  valleys  and  small  streams 
of  water.  The  upper  waters  of  the  great  river  Loire  pass  through 
the  south  edge  of  the  Perche,  while  the  more  modest  yet  beautiful 
Huisne,  with  wide-spreading  pastures  on  each  side,  winds  its  way 
through  much  of  this,  the  home  of  the  Percheron.  Small  grains 
and  potatoes  are  the  common  crops,  while  here  and  there  on  the 
hillsides  apple  orchards  remind  one  of  some  of  the  apple-growing 
sections  of  America.  The  town  of  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  with  a 
population  of  about  8500,  has  for  many  years  been  the  recognized 
headquarters  of  the  horsemen  of  the  Perche,  while  other  towns 
of  importance  are  Mortagne,  Alengon,  and  Mamers.  Seventy- 
five  miles  to  the  northeast  from  Nogent-le-Rotrou  is  Paris,  and 
between  these  two  cities  is  to  be  found  one  of  the  most  productive 
farming  sections  of  France. 

The  origin  of  the  Percheron  breed  is  most  obscure.  For  cen- 
turies horses  of  a  light  draft  type  were  bred  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Perche.  The  claim  has  been  made  by  French  writers  that  this 
is  a  prehistoric  breed,  and  Sanson,  an  authority  on  the  French 

95 


96 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


breeds,  states l  that  the  nearly  perfect  skull  of  a  prehistoric  horse 
excavated  in  the  Seine  valley,  in  1868,  very  closely  resembled  a 
Percheron  skull.  There  has  been  a  variety  of  opinion  in  France  re- 
garding the  origin  of  the  breed,  but  in  no  case  have  we  specific 
and  substantial  information.  All  is  based  on  theory.  Probably  the 


FIG.  31.  A  map  of  northwestern  France,  the  shaded  parts  indicating  the  Percheron 
country,  as  well  as  the  home  of  the  Nivernais  horse  and  the  Poitiers  ass 

opinion  of  the  veterinarian  M.  Gautier,  as  quoted  by  Sanders  and 
Dinsmore,2  is  about  right.  Speaking  at  a  congress  of  farmers,  held 
in  1843  at  Mortagne,  this  Frenchman  is  credited  with  the  following: 

Every  man  who  has  up  to  this  time  written  on  French  and  foreign  breeds 
says  that  the  Percheron  is  of  Brittany  origin.  As  proof,  nothing.  Each  writer, 
in  consulting  his  predecessor,  has  reproduced  the  same  opinion.  One  writer 

1  L'origine  des  races  francaises  de  chevaux,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  95. 

2  A.  H.  Sanders  and  Wayne  Dinsmore,  A  History  of  the  Percheron  Horse. 
Chicago,  1917. 


THE  PERCHEROJ 


97 


has  said  that  the  Percheron  was  of  English  origin.  Others  say  that  the 
Percheron  is  descended  from  the  Arab.  For  me,  if  I  may  give  my  opinion, 
I  believe  that  the  Percheron  is  a  primitive  breed,  singularly  altered,  improved 
by  crossings  at  different  periods  with  Arabian  and  English  horses. 

In  early  times  the  native  stock  of  the  Perche  was  without  doubt 
typical  of  the  draft  horse  generally  existing  in  northern  Europe, 
and  it  is  assumed  that  here  existed  the  foundation  stock  from 
which  the  modern  Percheron  is  developed. 

The  improvement  of  the  early  Percheron,  as  already  indicated, 
is  generally  credited  by  French  and  other  writers  to  the  use  of 


FIG.  32.  The  residence  and  stable  yard  of  the  home  of  the  late  M.  Charles  Aveline, 
La  Touche,  Nogent-le-Rotrou,  France.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

oriental  horses.  This  is  accounted  for  by  the  existence  of  large 
numbers  of  Arab  and  Barb  horses  brought  to  France  by  the 
Saracens,  especially  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighth  century.  It 
must  be  understood,  however,  that  the  above  opinion  does  not 
rest  on  facts.  It  is  reasonable  to  assume  that  oriental  horses  may 
have  been  used  to  improve  the  horse  stock  of  the  Perche,  but  to 
what  degree  we  do  not  know.  Horses  were  used  for  pack  purposes 
and  as  cavalry  only  until  the  improved  agriculture  and  commerce 
of  less  than  two  centuries  ago  demanded  a  draft  horse.  There  is 
more  or  less  specific  information  regarding  horse  breeding  in 
France  dating  back  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Two  govern- 
ment studs  were  established  at  this  time  —  one  at  Le  Pin  on  the 


98 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


borders  of  the  Perche,  in  1/14,  and  the  pther  at  Pompadour  in 
southwestern  France,  in  1755.  These  were  destroyed  during  the 
Revolution,  but  were  restored  by  Napoleon  in  1806  and  have  ever 
since  remained  important  breeding  studs.  Draft-horse  breeding 
was  not  attempted  in  these  studs  until  the  nineteenth  century,  the 
work  starting  at  Le  Pin  about  1808.  The  claim  has  been  made 


FIG.  33.    Dragon  52155  (63516),  champion  Percheron  stallion  at  the  1906  and  1907 

International  Live-Stock  Expositions,  and  a  famous  sire.   Owned  by  E.  B.  White, 

Leesburg,  Virginia.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  White 

by  M.  Charles  Du  Hays,  in  a  history  of  the  Percheron,1  that  two 
gray  Arabian  stallions,  Godolphin  and  Gallipoly,  were  used  about 
1820  in  the  stud  at  Le  Pin  with  a  remarkably  beneficial  result. 
The  general  effect  of  this  Arabian  blood  on  the  French  horse, 
according  to  various  authors,  was  to  impart  quality,  as  shown  in 
superior  bone,  style,  and  finish.  The  first  edition  of  this  work 
contained  this  statement.  However,  recent  investigations  have 
given  new  light  on  this  subject.  Mr.  John  Ashton,  just  prior  to 
the  opening  of  the  World  War,  carefully  examined  many  official 

1  Charles  Du  Hays,  Le  Cheval  Percheron. 


THE  PERCHERON  99 

records  of  the  French  studs,  or  haras,1  and  ascertained  'from 
original  Le  Pin  records  that  Godolphin  was  a  chestnut  English 
saddle  horse  and  Gallipoly  a  small  Turkish  saddle  horse.  The 
former  horse  was  not  regarded  good  enough  for  use  in  the  stud 
and  was  disposed  of  about  1 8 1 8 ;  while  Gallipoly  was  classed  as 
an  excellent  stallion,  but  "too  small  and  unsuitable  for  Le  Pin," 
and  so,  after  being  in  the  stud  from  1812  to  1819,  was  probably 
sent  to  Brittany.  Jean  Le  Blanc  (739),  foaled  in  1823  or  1824, 
said  to  have  been  a  true  Percheron  and  a  "  descendant  of  Gal- 
lipoly," according  to  the  French2  was  a  remarkable  stallion  and 
responsible  for  great  improvement  of  the  breed.  Ashton  found 
records  of  gray  draft  stallions  in  government  studs,  dating  back 
to  1808,  while  specific  reference  to  a  Percheron  was  first  made  in 
1822,  relative  to  Desarme  (538),  foaled  in  1815,  a  bay  of  un- 
known Percheron  ancestry.  In  1826  this  horse  covered  twenty-six 
mares.  Besides  Desarme,  along  at  this  period  there  were  several 
Percheron  horses  in  service,  including  Jocko,  Herbager,  Remor- 
queur,  Joly,  and  Superior.  These  horses  were  placed  more  or  less 
in  service  in  the  Perche,  under  government  supervision. 

The  early  type  of  Percheron  resulting  from  this  amalgamation 
of  races  was  not  so  large  as  the  present-day  type.  The  farmer 
of  the  Perche  required  a  horse  suited  to  general  purposes,  so  the 
early  type  was  smaller  and  more  active  of  foot  than  the  present- 
day  Percheron.  Either  under  saddle  or  before  gig,  Percherons 
trotted  with  considerable  speed.  Records  of  Percherons  show  that 
not  infrequently  they  have  trotted  at  a  rate  of  about  a  mile  in  four 
minutes.  Richardson,  an  English  writer  familiar  with  conditions  in 
France,  gives  interesting  illustrations  of  the  ability  of  this  horse 
to  travel  long  distances  with  considerable  speed.3 

A  gray  mare  six  years  old  which  took  a  heavy  gig  56  miles  over  a  heavy 
road  in  4  hours  and  24  minutes ;  and  another,  seven  years  old,  drew  an  ordi- 
nary country  gig  55  miles  in  4  hours  I  minute  35  seconds,  returning  the  next 
day  over  the  same  ground  in  4  hours  I  minute  30  seconds,  the  last  14  miles 
being  covered  in  I  hour,  and  neither  in  going  or  returning  was  she  touched 
with  the  whip. 

1  A  History  of  the  Percheron  Horse,  1917. 

2  Studbook  Percheron,  tome  premier,  p.  14.    Nogent-le-Rotrou,  1883. 

8  G.  G.  Richardson,  The  Corn  and  Cattle  Producing  Districts  of  France, 
p.  188.  London,  1877. 


100 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


The  characteristics  of  this  early  type  showed  less  scale,  :\ 
lighter  weight,  with  a  height  ranging  from  15  to  16  hands.  It 
was  a  superior  general-purpose  horse  of  draft  conformation,  yet 
lacking  large  size  and  heavy  weight.  This  type  met  with  such 
great  favor  that  buyers  from  various  parts  of  France,  Germany,  and 
elsewhere  began  to  draw  upon  the  Perche  for  their  horse  stock. 
Percheron  deterioration  came  in  with  the  improvement  of  the 
breed.  Toward  the  close  of  the  first  third  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury the  demand  for  these  horses  in  the  Perche  became  so  great 

that  the  farmers  sold 
their  best  brood  mares 
and  stallions  to  such 
an  extent  that  they 
had  to  be  replaced. 
Not  enough  good  Per- 
cherons  were  available, 
so  that  other  French 
races  were  introduced. 
Large  numbers  of 
mares  similar  to  Per- 
cherons  in  size  and 
style  were  introduced 
from  Brittany,  Picardy, 
Boulogne,  Caux,  and 


FIG.  34.  Etudiant  70802  (59291),  champion  Perche- 
ron stallion  in  France,  1908.  Imported  to  America 
in  1909  by  E.  B.  White  of  Virginia.  In  stud  in 
Ohio  for  some  years  and  a  successful  sire.  From 
photograph  taken  in  France  by  the  author 


elsewhere.  A  great 
many  of  these  lacked 
bone,  substance,  and 
quality.  With  the  improvement  of  highways  came  a  demand  for 
heavier  horses,  and  then  buyers  purchased  large  ones  to  meet 
the  increased  demand.  For  a  time  quality  was  sacrificed  for 
quantity,  the  heaviest  stallion  being  most  in  demand.  Many  of 
the  best  brood  mares  of  lighter  type  were  sacrificed,  thus  causing 
serious  deterioration.  This  condition  of  affairs  continued  for  some 
years,  until  breeders  recognized  the  absolute  necessity  of  improv- 
ing the  breed  so  as  to  secure  superior  type  and  quality  along 
with  increased  size. 

The  type  'of  Percheron  about  1877  is  described  by  Richardson 
in  the  following  rather  comprehensive  manner : 


THE  PER''! 


101 


The  characteristics  of  the  best  horses  are  that  they  run  from  15  to  16  hands 
in  height ;  the  head  is  handsome,  though  perhaps  sometimes  heavy,  but  more 
frequently  as  fine  as  an  Arab's ;  the  nostrils  wide ;  the  eye  large  and  expressive : 
the  forehead  broad;  ears  silky;  neck  rather  short,  but  with  a  good  crest: 
withers  high :  shoulders  long  and  sloping ;  chest  rather  flat,  but  broad  and 


FIG.  35.    Giroust  78504  (69869),  a  Percheron  stallion  owned  by  W.  H.  Butler, 
Sandusky,  Ohio.    A  prominent  sire  of  Ohio  futurity  winners,  as  well  as  a  high- 
class  show  horse.    From  photograph  by  E.  K.  Emslie 


deep ;  body  well  ribbed ;  loins  rather  long ;  crupper  level  and  muscular ;  the 
buttocks  often  high,  leaving  a  depression  above  the  junction  of  the  tail,  which 
is  set  on  high;  joints  short  and  strong;  the  tendons  often  weak;  legs  clean 
and  free  from  coarse  hair;  feet  always  good,  though  rather  flat  when  reared 
upon  moist  pastures ;  the  skin  fine,  and  mane  silky  and  abundant ;  the  color 
is  generally  gray,  but  there  are  some  grand  black  Percherons.  .  .  .  Docile, 
patient,  honest  workers,  very  hardy,  the  Percherons  are  unexcitable,  but  active 


102  -JKE  HORSE,  A$S,  AND  MULE 

and  cheerful,  rarely  showing  bad  temper,  and  very  free  from  natural  blemish, 
trotting  away  cheerfully  with  heavy  loads.  The  French  call  them  the  best 
draft  horses  in  the  world. 

Yet  even  when  Richardson  penned  this  (1877)  he  stated  that 
these  qualities  were  rarely  found  combined  in  any  of  the  Per- 
cheron  horses  on  account  of  the  deteriorating  influences  to 
which  reference  has  already  been  made. 

The  improvement  of  the  Percheron  in  France  is  due  to  both 
public  and  private  methods.  The  best  horses  in  France  have  been 
in  the  past  and  are  at  present  reserved  by  the  government  for 
home  improvement.  In  addition  to  this,  subsidies  are  paid  private 
individuals  to  keep  horses  of  merit  in  the  stud.  Animals  are 
critically  inspected  by  government  veterinarians,  and  if  up  to 
a  certain  standard  they  are  designated  as  subsidized  and  a  cash 
bonus  is  paid  for  keeping  them  in  the  country  on  the  farm  of 
the  owner,  available  to  the  owners  of  mares.  This  bonus  ranges 
from  300  to  500  francs  ($60  to  $100)  per  year,  according  to  the 
breeding  and  excellence  of  the  stallion.  Horses  of  not  quite  so 
good  a  grade  are  authorised  after  passing  inspection,  and  the 
owners  are  given  a  card  which  is  a  government  recommendation 
of  the  sires  to  farmers.  A  third  class,  known  as  approved,  of 
which  there  are  but  few,  are  permitted  to  be  in  service,  but 
neither  bonus  nor  special  certificate  is  given  for  them.  Since 
1885  a  government  decree  has  excluded  from  public  service  all 
stallions  not  coming  within  these  classes. 

The  introduction  of  the  Percheron  to  the  United  States  dates 
back  many  years.  French  horses  were  brought  to  America  as 
long  ago  as  1 8 1 6,  when  a  stallion  was  taken  to  Quebec  and  later 
sold  to  go  to  Washington  County,  New  York.  It  has  been  as- 
sumed that  this  was  a  Norman  horse.  In  1839  the  first  "  genu- 
ine "  Percheron  importation  to  America  was  brought  over  by 
Edward  Harris  to  Moorestown,  New  Jersey.  This  importation 
consisted  of  one  stallion  and  two  mares.  The  stallion  died  at 
sea,  and  the  mares  were  unfortunate,  one  landing  in  poor  health, 
while  the  other  injured  herself  in  car  shipment,  necessitating 
killing.  Mr.  Harris  at  once  returned  to  France  and  imported  the 
stallions  Diligence  and  Bonaparte,  with  several  mares.  These 
were  the  smaller  type  of  Percheron,  standing  about  15  hands 


THE  PERCHERON 


103 


high  and  weighing  1200  to  1500  pounds.    Diligence,  which  died 
in  1860,  was  regarded  as  a  fine  specimen  of  the  breed. 

In  1851  an  important  half  century  of  Percheron  history  began 
in  the  United  States.  At  this  time  Fullington  and  Martin 
brought  to  Milford  Center,  Ohio,  the  gray  colt  Louis  Napoleon, 
the  first  importation  to  the  West.  He  was  15^-  hands  high 
and  weighed  1600  pounds.  In  1856  A.  P.  Cushman  of  Illinois 
purchased  him.  Louis 
Napoleon  proved  to 
be  a  great  sire  and 
was  no  doubt  one  of 
the  very  best  draft 
horses  ever  brought  to 
America.  It  has  been 
estimated  that  over 
400  of  his  sons  were 
successful  stallions. 
In  1851  Dr.  Marcus 
Brown  of  Circleville, 
Ohio,  commissioned 
Samuel  Holman  of 
Chester  Springs,  Penn- 
sylvania, to  purchase 
a  stallion  for  him 
in  France.  Holman 
bought  two,  —  one  for 
himself  and  one  for 


FIG.  36.   Jocasse  (89131),  a  two-year-old  imported 
Percheron  mare,  the  property  of  Illinois  Univer- 
sity.   From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Professor 
J.  L.  Edmonds 


Brown,  —  both  grays, 
and    they    landed    at 

New  York  on  August  12,  1 8  5 1  .l  The  one  for  Dr.  Brown  was  named 
Normandy  351  and  is  often  referred  to  as  "  Pleasant  Valley  Bill," 
"Old  Bill,"  or  the  "Valley  Horse."  He  stood  15.1  hands  high 
and  weighed  about  1400  pounds,  and  it  is  said  that  for  eighteen 
years  he  averaged  about  60  colts  a  year.  Charles  Carroll  of  Bal- 
timore, Maryland,  is  credited  in  Volume  I  of  the  "Percheron  Stud- 
book  of  America  "  with  importing  in  1853  the  stallion  Chartres  88, 
and  J.  H.  McHenry  of  the  same  state  with  importing  the 

1  A  History  of  the  Percheron  Horse  (1917),  p.  114. 


104  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

two  mares  Lily  572  and  Snowdrop  607  in  the  same  year.  In 
1856  Jordan  and  Martin  of  Woodstock,  Ohio,  imported  the  stal- 
lion Rollin  418,  that  proved  a  good  sire.  Like  Louis  Napoleon, 
Rollin  was  sold  into  Illinois,  where  he  was  in  service  six  years. 
Numerous  importations  followed.  In  1868  W.  T.  Walters  of 
Baltimore,  Maryland,  brought  over  7  mares  and  4  stallions,  he 
being  the  first  person  to  establish  an  important  breeding  stud  in 
America.  Mr.  Walters  had  lived  in  France  and  had  studied  the 
breed  there,  and  so  was  able  to  buy  to  advantage.  In  1870 
M.  W.  Dunham  of  Wayne,  Illinois,  and  in  1874  William  Sing- 
master  of  Keota,  Iowa,  began  breeding  and  importing.  They  both 
became  famous  Percheron  authorities,  and  the  studs  founded  by 
them  are  still  in  existence.  Besides  these  the  Stubblefields  of 
Bloomington,  Ellis  Dillon  of  Normal,  Ezra  Stetson  of  Neponset, 
Illinois,  and  the  Fullingtons  of  Ohio  were  early  breeders  and  im- 
porters. According  to  Sanders  and  Dinsmore  90  stallions  were 
imported  to  America  between  1839  and  1870,  of  which  42  went 
to  Ohio,  24  to  Illinois,  10  to  Pennsylvania,  and  5  to  Maryland, 
with  2  each  going  to  Massachusetts,  Virginia,  Missouri,  and  New 
Jersey,  and  I  to  Kansas. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Percheron  horse  are  such  as  are 
sought  in  a  model  draft  horse.  The  head  is  distinguished  for 
its  bold,  prominent  eye,  wide,  full  forehead,  straight  face,  and 
strong  jaws.  The  ears  are  usually  of  medium  size,  refined,  and 
attractively  set  and  carried.  The  neck  as  a  rule  has  a  slight  arch 
and  is  smoothly  blended  at  the  body  and  neatly  attached  to  the 
head.  The  body  of  the  Percheron  is  characteristically  compact 
and  blocky  of  form,  full  in  the  chest,  and  broad  of  back.  Horses 
of  the  breed,  however,  often  have  steep,  rather  short  croups,  with 
the  tail  set  too  low.  In  recent  years,  however,  much  attention 
has  been  given  to  remedying  this  defect,  with  the  result  that 
present-day  exhibitions  show  many  Percherons  with  excellent 
croups.  In  depth  and  fullness  of  body  there  is  also  a  lack.  The 
legs  of  the  Percheron  incline  to  be  short,  and  the  bone  is  usually 
superior,  but  the  cannons  not  infrequently  lack  in  depth  and  flat- 
ness, while  a  full,  or  puffed,  hock  is  more  common  than  it  should 
be.  This  breed  has  legs  free  of  long  hair,  such  as  is  strikingly 
seen  in  Shire  and  Clydesdale.  The  feet  are  generally  of  good 


THE  PERCHERON 


105 


size  and  shapely,  and  the  dark  hoofs  of  excellent  texture.  Per- 
cheron  action  at  a  walk  is  reasonably  true  and  snappy,  while  the 
trot  with  good  representatives  of  the  breed  is  free  and  easy.  In 
its  strong,  free  action  this  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
breeds,  although  not  the  equal  of  the  Clydesdale  in  that  respect. 
The  fact  that  in  France,  even  to-day,  races  are  held  between  the 


FIG.  37.    Libretto  121447  (979°7)>  aged  Percheron  stallion  owned  by  the  Ohio 

State  University,  Columbus.    Second-prize  winner  at  the  1919  Ohio  State  Fair 

and  an  excellent  sire.    From  photograph  by  E.  K.  Emslie 

lighter  type  of  Percherons  is  an  evidence  of  their  natural  activity 
of  foot.  The  things  which  especially  distinguish  the  Percheron 
breed  are  the  head  and  neck,  suggesting  the  Arabian,  the  blocky 
body  and  steep  tendency  of  croup,  the  short,  smooth  legs,  the 
characteristic  color,  and  superior  action.  As  a  draft  beast  the 
pure-bred  or  high-grade  Percheron  ranks  in  France  and  America 
in  the  very  first  class,  as  is  evident  from  his  preponderance  in 
numbers  over  all  other  breeds. 


106  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

The  color  of  the  Percheron  is  usually  a  gray  or  black.  Bays 
and  browns  occur,  but  are  not  common.  Gray  from  the  beginning 
has  been  the  most  popular  color  in  the  Perche,  and  in  the  days 
of  the  stagecoach  the  gray  color,  being  more  easily  seen  at  night 
than  black,  contributed  to  its  popularity.  >  Many  of  the  greatest 
stallions  in  the  history  of  the  breed  have  been  grays.  Fashion 
has  had  a  part  in  influencing  the  color  of  the  Percheron,  and  for 
years  American  importers  have  been  seeking  blacks  to  meet  the 
demands  of  customers.  It  is  said  that  at  the  fair  at  Chartres, 
France,  in  February,  1877,  one  dealer  had  eighteen  blacks,  for 
which  he  asked  about  the  equivalent  of  $10,000  for  the  lot, 
"  and  they  were  well  worth  it."  In  recent  years,  however,  gray 
has  grown  in  popularity,  ranging  from  a  dark  iron  gray  with 
light  mane  and  tail  to  a  pure  white.  A  colt  apparently  black, 
but  having  scarcely  noticeable  white  hairs  on  the  body  among 
the  black,  will  gradually  become  gray  with  age  if  both  mane 
and  tail  are  light  in  color.  The  bay  or  brown  is  a  distinctly 
unpopular  color  and  is  not  representative  of  the  breed.  In  1917 
Secretary  Wayne  Dinsmore  of  the  Percheron  Society  of  America 
sent  out  a  circular  letter  to  Percheron  breeders,  in  which  he 
showed  the  proportions  of  colors  with  two  thousand  horses  of 
the  breed  registered  in  Volume  XVIII  of  the  studbook.  Com- 
menting on  the  facts  brought  out,  Mr.  Dinsmore  says  : 

The  outstanding  feature  is  the  fact  that  90.85  per  cent  are  black's  and  grays, 
either  whole  or  colored,  or  with  some  white  marks,  such  as  star,  strip,  snip, 
white  pasterns,  or  other  distinguishing  marks.  Solid  colored  horses,  even  in 
blacks  and  grays,  constitute  but  a  small  proportion  of  the  total.  .  .  .  Bays  or 
brown  bays,  with  or  without  markings,  make  up  but  3.45  per  cent  of  the  total. 
Browns  without  the  bay  tinge  aggregate  3.25  per  cent,  and  some  of  these  latter 
prove  to  be  blacks.  Chestnut  and  sorrel  mean  the  same  thing  in  the  minds  of 
many  horsemen,  and  all  reported  have  some  white  markings,  yet  total  only 
1.5  per  cent.  Several  kinds  of  roans  are  listed,  but  all  told  they  amount  to 
only  0.95  per  cent  of  the  total,  or  less  than  one  per  cent. 

The  weight  and  height  of  the  Percheron  place  him  in  the 
medium  class  of  draft  horses,  although  very  large  specimens  of 
the  breed  are  recorded.  The  average  weight  of  the  mature  stallion 
is  from  1700  to  2000  pounds,  while  the  mares  range  from  1600 
to  1800  pounds.  The  heavier  weights  are  rarely  reached,  excepting 


THE  PERCHERON  107 

with  horses  in  high  condition.  The  height  of  stallions  ranges 
ordinarily  from  16  to  17  hands  and  mares  from  15  J  to  i6i 
hands.)  A  lower-set  type  is  desired,  but  where  heavier  weight  is 
emphasized  17  hands  is  necessary  to  show  plenty  of  scale  and 
substance.  The  following  figures  of  heights  and  weights  of 
stallions  of  distinction  are  of  interest:  Brilliant  1271  stood 
16  hands  and  weighed  1850  pounds;  Seducteur  (8850),  Pink. 
24765  (47513),  Olbert  42815  (53109),  and  Villers  13169  (1808) 
are  each  said  to  have  stood  about  17  hands  and  weighed  2100 
pounds;  Calypso  25017  (44577)  stood  i6|  hands  and  weighed 
1900  pounds ;  Etudiant  70802  (59291)  stood  I7J-  hands  and 
weighed  2100  pounds;  and  Introuvable  16875  (24I4fy,  regarded 
as  a  very  large  Percheron,  stood  17!  hands  and  weighed  2300 
pounds.  Referring  to  weight,  W.  S.  Corsa  of  Illinois,  long  a 
prominent  breeder,  makes  the  following  comment : l 

A  mare  weighing  from  1 700  to  1 800  pounds  in  ordinarily  good  condition, 
is  the  draft  mare  that  may  be  expected  to  give  a  good  account  of  herself  both 
at  work  and  in  the  stud.  Get  size  in  the  offspring  through  the  selection  of  the 
sire  and  through  the  kind,  quality  and  quantity  of  feed  given  the  colts.  Fortu- 
nately, it  is  among  these  under  excessive  weights  that  we  find  the  greatest 
number  of  mares  of  acceptable  breed  type — sweetly  feminine  sorts  which  usually 
have  necks  long  enough  so  that  one  may  put  his  arm  around  and  love  them. 

Quoting  from  the  same  source,  E.  B.  White,  a  noted  breeder 
of  Virginia,  states  that  the  stallion  should  be  of  medium  size 
and  suggests  that  he  "weigh  not  more  than  2100  pounds  in 
show  condition." 

The  temperament  of  the  Percheron  is  of  the  quiet,  phlegmatic 
sort,  such  as  prevails  with  the  horse  of  heavy  weight,  although 
somewhat  more  nervous  and  active  than  the  Shire  or  Belgian. 
The  disposition  of  horses  of  this  breed  is  of  the  best,  and  as 
one  sees  them  at  work  in  their  native  country,  where  many 
stallions  of  the  breed  are  found  in  harness,  they  are  all  the  most 
exacting  could  desire  in  this  regard. 

The  maturing  quality  of  the  Percheron  is  of  the  first  class, 
and  the  colts  when  properly  nourished  attain  large  size  in  a  rela- 
tively short  time.  Many  weanling  colts  at  the  fall  shows  weigh 
about  800  pounds  and  at  twelve  months  of  age  should  pass  the 

1  A  History  of  the  Percheron  Horse  (1917),  p.  530. 


io8 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


looo-pound  mark.  At  twenty-four  months  a  stallion  should  weigh 
around  1500,  and  a  mare  slightly  less/  In  feeding  experiments 
conducted  by  Professor  J.  L.  Edmonds  on  ten  pure-bred  Percheron 
fillies  at  the  Illinois  Station,  foaled  in  1914  and  fed  two  winters  and 
one  summer,  the  average  weight  at  twelve  months  of  age  was  1112 
pounds,  and  at  twenty-four  months  1 548  pounds.  The  "growthiest " 
filly  of  the  lot  weighed  1260  pounds  at  twelve  months  and  1775 

pounds  at  twenty-four 
months. 

Crossbred  or  grade 
Percherons  are  very 
common  in  America. 
The  pure-bred  stallions 
mated  to  the  larger 
type  of  grade  mares, 
of  drafty  conformation, 
furnish  a  large  per  cent 
of  our  best  draft  teams. 
On  the  Western  range, 
notably  in  Wyoming, 
Montana,  Utah,  Colo- 
rado, and  the  Dakotas, 
by  the  use  of  Percheron 
stallions  for  two  or 
three  generations  the 
horse  stock  has  been 
greatly  increased  in 

size  and  usefulness,  many  of  the  grades  weighing  from  1400  to 
1500  pounds  at  maturity.  Through  the  Middle  Western  states 
are  to  be  seen  many  high-grade  mares  which  in  breed  character 
and  conformation  are  apparently  pure-breds. 

Prepotent  Percheron  stallions  mated  to  mares  of  other  draft 
breeds  also  usually  give  satisfactory  results,  and  this  is  a  favorite 
combination  in  some  localities  where  legs  with  feather  hairs  are 
found  on  mares  of  Clyde  or  Shire  ancestry.  The  resulting  off- 
spring are  usually  smooth-legged  and  more  easily  satisfy  the  com- 
mon market  demands.  The  most  prominent  buyers  in  the  Chicago 
horse  market  have  testified  in  the  highest  terms  to  the  demand 


FIG.  38.  La  Belle  34982,  an  aged  Percheron  mare, 
champion  American-bred  mare  in  191 1  at  the  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition.  A  famous  dam. 
Owner,  E.  B.  White,  Leesburg,  Virginia.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 


THE  PERCHERON 


109 


for  Percheron  grades  and  crosses,  and  grade  geldings  of  show-ring 
form  have  repeatedly  sold  for  $500  per  head  and  over. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Percheron  as  a  breed  may  be  regarded 
as  about  average.  Under  good  conditions  of  care  and  keep  Per- 
cheron mares  should  prove  as  fecund  and  give  as  good  results 
in  production  as  with  other  heavy  breeds.  There  are,  however, 
many  cases  on  record  of  mares  that  have  proved  unusually  pro- 
lific and  profitable.  The  following  mares  are  worthy  of  note,  as 


FIG.  39.    Delia  65193,  an  uncommonly  fine  Percheron  brood  mare  at  nineteen 

years  of  age.*  Fourth-prize  mare  ten  years  old  or  over  in  large-class  Eastern 

Percheron    Breeders'   Show,  1918.     Owned   by  M.  E.  Lyons,   Delaware,  Ohio. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

having  played  important  parts  in  building  up  some  of  the  best 
American  studs.  Fany  20458,  owned  by  L.  W.  Orr  of  Minne- 
sota, proved  in  foal  every  year  between  1901  and  1916  inclusive 
and  raised  12  colts,  7  of  which  sold  for  $5000.  Among  the  noted 
brood  mares  of  Mark  W.  Dunham  were  Constance  1478  (1425), 
having  9  colts  in  twelve  years;  Linda  2571  (1521),  producing  10 
colts  in  fourteen  years;  and  Janecia  2768  (1368),  dropping  7  foals 
in  ten  years.  Most  of  these  foals  were  very  superior  and  brought 
high  prices.  In  the  ownership  of  the  Stetsons  of  Illinois,  Flora 
1119  raised  15  colts  in  eighteen  years,  and  Zoe  1142  in  about 
the  same  time  dropped  10  colts.  The  mare  Delia  65193,  bred  by 


1 10  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

John  Lyons  in  Delaware  County,  Ohio,  has  produced  9  living 
foals  that  have  sold  for  $5220.  The  De  Lanceys  of  Minnesota 
owned  2  great  brood  mares  —  Mollie  19915,  having  10  foals  in 
twelve  years,  and  Charmante  10931  (20451),  having  9  in  eleven 
years.  The  mare  Aimie  520  is  credited  with  14  foals  in  seven- 
teen years,  and  of  these,  2  daughters,  Olga  21851  and  Prudance 
21853,  dropped  within  nine  years  7  and  8  foals  respectively. 

Famous  Percheron  sires.  Naturally  during  the  history  of  the 
breed  there  have  been  many  sires  of  excellence  in  America. 
Among  these  the  following  stallions  in  service  prior  to  1900 
may  be  regarded  as  of  special  importance,  mainly  on  account  of 
their  influence  as  breeders,  although  some  of  them  were  famous 
show  horses.  Louis  Napoleon  281 :  foaled,  1848  ;  imported,  1851. 
Normandy  351  (also  known  as  Pleasant  Valley  Bill) :  foaled, 
1849;  imported,  1851.  Success  452 :  foaled,  1864;  imported, 
1868.  Vidocq  483  (732):  foaled,  1869;  imported,  1874;  sire, 
Coco  II  (714);  dam,  by  Cheri.  Brilliant  1271  (755)  :  foaled, 
1876;  imported,  1881  ;  sire,  Brilliant  1899  (756)  ;  dam,  Ragout, 
by  Favori  I  (711).  Fenelon  2682  (38}:  foaled,  1880;  imported, 
1883  ;  sire,  Brilliant  1271  ;  dam,  Ernestine,  by  Duke  of  Perche 
173  (740).  Gilbert  5154  (461):  foaled,  1882;  imported,  1886; 
sire,  Brilliant  1271  (755);  dam,  Sophie  (7694).  Seducteur  8850 
(7057}  :  foaled,  1884  ;  imported,  1888  ;  sire,  Fenelon  2682  (38) ; 
dam,  Rosalie  (5688),  by  Brilliant  1899  (756).  Brilliant  3d 
Illlb  (2()lty}\  foaled,  1884;  imported,  1889;  sire,  Fenelon 
2682  (38).  Of  the  above  horses  Louis  Napoleon  and  Brilliant 
were  probably  the  most  famous,  each  proving  remarkable 
breeders,  although  all  of  the  horses  in  question  stand  out  as 
noted  sires. 

In  a  study  of  the  show  records  of  recent  years  in  both  France 
and  America,  as  reported  by  Sanders  and  Dinsmore,1  the  follow- 
ing interesting  facts  are  brought  out.  Between  1901  and  1910 
at  the  shows  of  the  Percheron  Society  of  France,  Brilliant  3d  (2919) 
appeared  as  grandsire  of  123  prize  winners;  Besigue  (19602) 
of  92  ;  Villers  (8081)  of  87  ;  Fenelon  (38)  of  71  ;  Voltaire  (443) 
of  61  ;  Jules  (37987)  of  50;  Marathon  (10386)  of  38;  Briard 
(1630)  of  30;  Jupiter  4th  (13001)  of  19;  and  Lavater  (14574) 

1  A  History  of  the  Percheron  Horse,  1917. 


THE  PERCHERON  ill 

of  1 8,  these  being  the  ten  leading  grandsires  among  ninety,  in 
the  order  given.  In  a  study  of  the  records  of  winners  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition  between  1900  and  1910, 
the  following  stallions  were  shown  to  be  of  premier  importance 
as  sires  or  grandsires  or  great-grandsires  :  As  sires  of  American- 
bred  prize  winners,  Calypso  25017  (44577)  is  credited  with  38 
International  winners;  Superior  40605  with  15  ;  Salvanos  10827 
(20922)  with  12  ;  Rhum  Jr.  21627  with  9;  Cadmus  2162  (929) 
with  8  ;  Boer  24267  (44611)  with  7  ;  Aride  25056  (45424)  with 
7,  and  Villers  13169  (8081)  with  6.  As  grandsires  of  Inter- 
national winners,  Theudis  25015  (40871)  is  credited  with  40; 


FIG.  40.   A  view  of  La  Societe  Hippique  Percheronne's  1908  show  grounds  at 
Mortagne.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

Highland  Chief  23744  with  15;  Fernando  (34038)  with  14; 
Grevin  6846  (6892)  with  12;  Rhum  11288  (13173)  with  9; 
Victoria  24449  (429°5)  with  9;  Brilliant  1271  (755)  with  9, 
and  Besigue  (19602)  with  8.  In  rank  as  great-grandsires,  Besigue 
is  first  with  52  winners;  Marathon  (10386)  with  16  ;  Sensation 
22544  with  15;  Brilliant  3d  (2919)  with  13;  Brilliant  1271 
(755)  with  13;  La  Grange  3065  (1334)  with  12;  Chicago  6947 
(7485)  with  9;  and  Bienfaisant  (1397)  with  6.  The  following 
stallions,  former  International  champions,  have  been  regarded  as 
leading  sires  in  recent  years  :  Pink  24765  (47513),  Carnot  66666 
(66666),  Dragon  52155  (63516),  and  Lagos  99093  (102389). 
The  leading  Percheron  shows  are  held  under  different  con- 
ditions. Each  year  in  France  a  great  central  show  is  held  at 
Paris.  For  years  the  annual  Percheron  show  of  France  has  been 


112  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

held  in  a  migratory  way,  coming  back  to  the  same  locality  every 
twelve  years.  The  Percheron  Society  show  is  held  in  rotation 
once  each  year  in  the  Perche  district,  at  La  Ferte,  Mortagne,  or 
Nogent-le-Rotrou.  The  American  Percheron  shows  of  most 
importance  are  held  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition, 
Chicago,  the  Kansas  City  Horse  Show,  and  the  state  fairs  of 
Ohio,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Indiana,  Minnesota,  and  Wisconsin. 

Percheron  futurity  shows  have  attracted  considerable  attention 
in  recent  years,  especially  in  Ohio  and  Iowa.  The  first  show  of 
the  kind  in  Ohio  was  held  in  1912,  and  the  competition  has 
grown  steadily  in  numbers  and  merit.  The  following  are  the 
important  rules  in  the  Ohio  show,  which  is  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Ohio  Percheron  Breeders'  Association.  Eligibility:  All 
colts  recorded  in  the  Percheron  Society  of  America  are  eligible 
to  the  futurity  classes  in  1919,  provided  the  dams  of  said  colts 
have  been  nominated  in  accordance  with  the  conditions  outlined 
below.  Conditions:  (i)  Mare  nominations  must  be  made  by 
April  i,  1918,  if  the  colts  from  these  mares  are  to  be  eligible  to 
the  futurity  classes  in  1919.  When  the  mares  are  nominated,  the 
name  and  registry  number  of  each  mare  must  be  given,  also  the  name 
and  registry  number  of  the  sire  to  which  she  is  in  foal.  (2)  A 
fee  of  one  dollar  ($i)  must  accompany  the  nomination  of  each 
mare.  (3)  In  addition  to  the  nominating  fee  on  mares,  there  will 
be  an  entry  fee  on  all  colts  foaled  from  these  mares  if  said  colts 
are  to  be  kept  eligible  to  the  futurity  classes.  This  entry  fee  will 
be  seven  dollars  ($7)  per  colt,  payable  in  two  payments.  The 
first  payment,  of  two  dollars,  must  be  made  by  November  I,  1918. 
At  this  time  the  color  and  sex  of  colt  must  be  given.  The 
second  payment,  of  five  dollars,  must  be  made  by  July  15,  1919, 
just  prior  to  the  Ohio  State  Fair.  At  this  time  the  name  and 
registry  number  of  the  colt  must  be  given. 

The  prices  paid  for  Percherons  from  the  point  of  view  of  aver- 
age values  are  higher  than  for  any  other  draft  breed.  High 
prices  have  also  been  paid  for  animals  of  merit.  Mr.  Dillon  of 
Illinois  was  the  first  importer  to  pay  as  much  as  $1600  for  a 
stallion  in  France,  paying  this  price  in  1882.  The  late  M.  W. 
Dunham,  years  ago,  made  one  sale  of  three  mares  and  a  stallion 
for  $10,000.  In  1903  McLaughlin  Brothers  of  Ohio  sold  the 


THE  PERCHERON  113 

stallion  Orangiste  29606  for  $5500,  and  a  month  later  sold  Pour- 
Quoi-Pas  27248  for  $7000.  In  December,  1905,  this  same  firm 
sold  the  stallion  Rosenberg,  grand-champion  Percheron  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition,  for  $8000,  the  highest  price 
up  to  that  time  paid  for  a  draft  stallion  in  America.  At  the  1909 
International,  W.  S.  Corsa  of  Illinois  purchased  the  champion 
Percheron  stallion  of  the  show,  Carnot  66666,  from  Crouch  and  Son 
of  Indiana  for  $10,000,  and  in  1916  Mr.  Corsa  sold  a  half  interest 
in  this  horse,  at  ten  years  of  age,  to  R.  G.  Leeds  of  Indiana  for 


FIG.  41.    Judging  the  horses  at  the  1908  show  of  La  Societe  Hippique 
Percheronne.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


$20,000.  Helix  70340  (75752),  champion  stallion  in  1911  at  the 
International,  shown  by  Taylor  and  Jones,  was  sold  to  W.  C.  Brown 
of  New  York  for  $10,000.  In  1912  Crouch  and  Son  exhibited 
at  the  International  the  stallion  Imprecation  79304  (79214), 
champion  that  year  as  well  as  in  1911,  which  they  sold  for 
$10,500  during  the  show. 

Percheron  geldings  are  great  favorites  in  the  horse  market,  and 
many  very  high-class  ones  are  sold.  At  the  1905  International 
Exposition  the  six-horse  teams  of  geldings  exhibited  by  Armour 
and  Company  and  the  Pabst  Brewing  Company  caused  universal 
admiration.  George,  owned  by  Pabst,  the  first-prize  gelding  of  the 
1904  exposition,  weighed  when  shown  2140  pounds.  In  1905 
the  Pabst  Brewing  Company  purchased  a  pair  of  geldings  on  the 


114  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Chicago  horse  market,  paying  $1300  for  them,  the  highest  price 
paid  for  such  a  team  up  to  that  time.  In  the  spring  of  1910 
Crouch  and  Son  of  Indiana  bought  a  pair  of  Percheron  geldings 
at  auction  in  Missouri  for  $2025,  the  record  price  up  to  the 
present  time  for  a  team  of  the  kind. 

The  distribution  of  the  Percheron  horse  is  very  widespread. 
Large  numbers  have  been  exported  from  the  Perche  to  the  United 
States,  and  in  recent  years,  prior  to  1914,  a  limited  number  of 
these  horses  were  being  shipped  into  Germany,  Austria-Hungary, 
Russia,  and  Argentina.  Since  1914  quite  a  number  of  Percherons 
have  been  shipped  to  England,  where  they  have  stirred  up  warm 
controversy,  but  seem  destined  to  grow  in  favor.  In  Canada, 
especially  in  the  Northwest,  this  breed  is  getting  a  strong  foothold  ; 
in  fact,  George  Lane's  stud  on  the  Bar  U  Ranch  in  Alberta  is 
said  to  be  the  largest  group  of  Percherons  in  the  world,  number- 
ing over  four  hundred  head.  During  nineteen  months,  ending 
October  31,  1918,  more  than  one  thousand  Percherons  were 
exported  from  the  United  States  to  Canada. 

The  distribution  of  Percherons  in  the  United  States  is  of  a 
national  character.  Weld  estimated  that  in  1866  there  were 
fully  5000  Percherons  in  this  country,  but  no  doubt  many  of 
these  were  French  drafts  of  other  breeds.  Between  1851  and 
1883  nearly  4000  Percherons  of  which  a  more  or  less  correct 
record  is  kept  were  imported  or  bred  in  the  United  States. 
These  were  widely  distributed,  Illinois  having  1834;  Ohio, 
Indiana,  and  Michigan,  577;  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota, 
424  ;  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey,  280 ;  and  Mis- 
souri, Kansas,  and  Nebraska,  186.  In  the  early  eighties  many 
were  brought  over,  2600  being  reported  as  imported  or  home- 
bred in  1 88 1,  1882,  and  1883.  In  1884  more  than  2000  of  all 
ages  were  brought  to  America  from  France.  In  1890  it  is  said 
that  there  were  593  breeders  in  this  country,  and  in  1900  this 
number  had  increased  to  1634,  while  figures  in  1910  are  placed  at 
5338.  Between  1901  and  1910  some  31,900  American-bred  and 
10,048  imported  Percherons  Were  registered.  During  the  fiscal 
year  ending  October  31,  1917,  the  Percheron  Society  of  America 
registered  10,508  horses  and  transferred  9634  during  the  next 
fiscal  year.  Illinois,  which  has  occupied  front  rank  in  Percheron 


THE  PERCHERON  115 

breeding  since  the  beginning,  stood  first  in  registrations,  with 
2386  head,  or  22.7  per  cent  of  the  total.  Iowa,  which  from  the 
earliest  days  has  followed  closely  after  Illinois,  ranked  second 
with  2 no  registrations,  or  20.07  Per  cent  °f  tne  total.  Ohio,, 
the  state  to  which  Percherons  were  early  imported,  was  third 
with  864  registrations,  or  8.22  per  cent  of  the  total.  Kansas,  the 
leading  Percheron  breeding  center  west  of  the  Missouri  River, 
stood  fourth,  with  759  head  recorded  during  the  year,  7.22  per 


FIG.  42.    Percheron  mares  and  foals  in  stud  of  the  late  M.  W.  Dunham,  Oaklawn, 
Wayne,  Illinois.    From  photograph  taken  in  1893  by  the  author^ 

cent  of  the  total.  Nebraska  came  fifth,  with  523  head,  or  4.97 
per  cent;  Minnesota  sixth,  with  447,  or  4.25  per  cent;  Indiana 
seventh,  with  440,  or  4.18  per  cent;  and  South  Dakota  eighth, 
with  392,  or  3.73  per  cent.  These  eight  states  represented  about 
75  per  cent  of  all  the  horses  registered  in  thirty-six  states.  The 
two  leading  state  centers  in  America  are  Tazewell  County,  Illinois, 
and  Delaware  County,  Ohio. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Percheron  horses  exist  in  France 
and  the  United  States.  The  French  Percheron  Society,  known 
as  La  Societe  Hippique  Percheronne,  was  organized  in  1883  and 
has  always  had  its  headquarters  at  Nogent-le-Rotrou.  It  was 


n6  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

organized  to  promote  the  purity  of  the  breed,  to  register  horses 
within  the  Perche  only,  and  to  publish  a  studbook  from  time  to 
time.  In  1890  the  society  passed  a  rule  that  all  colts  must  be 
entered  for  registry  between  the  ages  of  three  and  six  months. 
At  the  time  of  registration  a  veterinarian  appointed  by  the  society 
is  required  to  brand  its  official  mark  on  the  colt's  neck,  and  this 
should  always  be  found  on  imported  Percheron  horses  registered 
by  the  French  society.  Volume  I  of  the  French  studbook  first 
appeared  in  1883,  and  at  intervals  since  that  time  volumes  have 
been  published  in  two  parts,  one  each  for  stallions  and  mares. 


FIG.  43.  Percheron  futurity  winners  at  the  Ohio  State  Fair,  1917.   These  are  year- 
ling horse  colts.   From  photograph  by  the  Columbus  Photograph  Service  Company. 
By  courtesy  of  Professor  D.  J.  Kays 

American  Percheron  horse  associations  date  back  to  1876.  At 
this  time,  owing  to  the  common  usage  of  the  word  "  Norman,"  it 
was  planned  to  organize  the  Norman  Horse  Association.  French 
horses,  known  as  Normans,  had  been  used  in  the  West  some 
years,  for  as  far  back  as  1854  Dillon  and  Company  of  Normal,  Illi- 
nois, showed  what  they  termed  Normans.  The  word  "  Percheron  " 
was  also  in  use.  J.  H.  Sanders  had  been  made  secretary  of  the 
new  association,  and  he  added  the  word  "  Percheron  "  to  the  title,  so 
that  it  read  Percheron-Norman  Horse  Association,  and  his  action 
was  approved.  This  was  followed  by  some  members  withdrawing 
and  organizing  the  National  Register  of  Norman  Horses,  which 
was  later  changed  to  the  National  Register  of  French  Draft 
Horses.  With  the  organization  in  France  of  a  Percheron  society 


THE  PERCHERON  117 

the  word  "  Norman  "  was  dropped  from  the  American  title,  in  order 
to  correspond  with  that  of  the  French  association.  -The  career 
of  the  American  Percheron  Horse  Breeders'  Association  proved 
rather  unsatisfactory  to  many  of  its  members,  due  to  too  much 
one-man  power  vested  in  its  secretary.  This  resulted  in  the  organ- 
ization, in  1902,  of  the  American  Percheron  Horse  Breeders' 
and  Importers'  Association,  with  headquarters  later  established  at 
Chicago,  Illinois.  In  1905  the  name  of  this  was  changed  to  the 
Percheron  Society  of  America.  There  was  also  organized  in  1902, 
at  Columbus,  Ohio,  the  Percheron  Registry  Company.  More 
recently  —  in  October,  1905 — another  association,  known  as  the 
American  Breeders'  and  Importers'  Percheron  Registry,  was  in- 
corporated, with  headquarters  in  Ohio.  Each  of  these  associations 
was  organized  to  promote  the  breed  in  America,  to  register  animals, 
and  to  publish  studbooks.  In  1909  the  Percheron  Registry  Com- 
pany combined  with  the  Percheron  Society  of  America,  and  all 
animals  registered  in  the  four  volumes  of  records  of  the  former 
were  made  subject  to  re-registration  in  the  records  of  the  latter. 
Within  very  recent  years  harmony  has  come  within  Percheron 
circles,  and  the  Percheron  Society  of  America  is  the  one  recog- 
nized official  organization  in  this  country.  A  number  of  studbooks 
have  been  published.  The  old  Percheron-Norman  Horse  Associa- 
tion published  two  volumes,  the  first  appearing  in  1877.  Later, 
with  the  change  of  name  to  Percheron  Horse  Association  of 
America,  three  more  volumes  were  issued  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Percheron  Studbook  of  America."  In  1906  this  society  published 
Volume  VI,  since  which  time  the  volumes  have  been  brought  down 
to  XIX  in  1918,  including  134,000  registrations  to  this  date. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  FRENCH  DRAFT 

A  brief  consideration  of  the  French  Draft  horse  is  essential, 
although  no  recognized  breed  of  this  name  exists.  In  America 
it  has  been  customary  for  many  years  to  refer  to  draft  horses 
brought  from  France  as  French  Draft  horses.  Not  only  this  but 
we  now  have  in  the  United  States  an  organization  which  registers 
draft  horses  from  France  in  a  French  Draft  studbook. 

Distinct  breeds  of  French  Draft  horses,  however,  are  well 
known  and  in  France  are  clearly  recognized.  Years  ago  there 
was  some  confusion  among  importers  on  this  point,  but  at  the 
present  time  we  have  more  definite  knowledge  on  the  subject. 
All  heavy  horses  in  France  are  not  of  the  same  breed,  even  if 
brought  to  America  as  French  Draft.  It  is  quite  customary  to 
name  certain  European  breeds  after  the  localities  in  which  they 
received  their  chief  development,  and  this  applies  to  the  horses 
of  France.  It  is  extremely  doubtful  if  any  draft  horses  come  to 
this  country  from  France  that  cannot  be  properly  listed  as  belong- 
ing to  one  of  the  following  breeds,  which  essentially  represent  the 
characteristic  draft  breeds  of  that  country. 

1.  Percheron.    This  is  the  best-known  and  most  highly  devel- 
oped of  the  French  Draft  breeds.    For  an  extended  consideration 
of  the  breed  see  Chapter  XIII. 

2.  Boulonnais.    This  breed  is  largely  found  in  the  district  of 
Boulogne  in  northern  France  and  in  adjoining  Belgium,  deriving 
its  name  from  the  former.    The  breed  is  somewhat  larger  and 
coarser  than  the  Percheron,  is  coarser  of  neck,  steeper  and  squarer 
of  croup,  and  while  not  deficient  in  action  shows  less  than  the 
Percheron.    The  color  is  variable,  though  frequently  gray  or  white. 
It  is  claimed  by  the  French  that  there  is  no  interchange  between 
the  horses  of  Boulogne  and  the  Perche,  and  that  the  Boulonnais 
has  mainly  been  improved  by  selection  and  care,  though  it  is  sug- 
gested that  some  improvement  may  have  come  from  Percheron 

118 


THE  FRENCH  DRAFT  119 

blood.  The  Boulonnais  has  an  excellent  reputation  in  France, 
where  a  studbook  kept  in  its  interest  is  widely  used,  and  it  is 
regarded  as  second  only  in  importance  to  the  Percheron.  Prom- 
inent importers  have  stated  that  Boulonnais  horses  have  not  been 
extensively  brought  to  America,  although  no  doubt  they  are  well 
represented  in  the  United  States  under  the  names  of  "  Norman"  or 
"  French  Draft." 

3.  Breton.  This  breed  belongs  to  Brittany,  in  extreme  western 
France,  in  a  section  opposite  southwest  England,  from  which  it 
is  separated  by  the  English  Channel.  This  is  quite  a  prominent 
horse  section,  but  in  its  past  history  rather  miscellaneous  breed- 
ing has  been  resorted  to.  English,  Arabian,  and  crossbred  stal- 
lions have  been  used,  and  more  recently  Percheron.  Richardson, 
in  discussing  these  horses  many  years  ago,  says  : 

Though  larger  than  the  horses  of  the  center,  those  in  the  north  only  run 
from  14  hands  to  15.1,  having  improved  up  to  the  latter  point,  which  the  best 
horses  now  commonly  reach.  They  are  of  much  the  same  character  as  the 
Percheron ;  indeed,  there  has  been  a  continual  interchange  between  the  two 
districts,  and  the  color  is  chiefly  the  same  —  gray;  but  the  Breton. horse  has 
a  heavier  head,  more  hair  about  the  heels,  broader  feet,  a  heavier  frame,  he  is 
shorter  below  the  knee,  and  the  pasterns  are  shorter,  in  fact,  he  shows  less  blood. 

In  the  past  large  numbers  of  weaned  foals  have  been  sold  to  go 
out  of  Brittany.  "  Nor,"  says  Richardson,  "  are  they  known  again 
as  Breton  horses.  The  grays  become  Percherons  and  the  bays 
Normans." 

Leading  Percheron  importers  in  the  past  claimed  that  none 
of  the  Bretons  were  brought  to  America,  but  that  they  were 
largely  used  for  omnibus  horses  in  Paris. 

4.  Nivernais.    This  breed  is  mainly  found  in  the  department 
of  Nievre,   in  central  France.    It  is  a  somewhat  modern,  black 
breed,  largely  the  result  of  using  black  Percheron  stallions  on  the 
mares  of  the  region,  which  are  hardly  as  large  as  Percherons. 
This  breed  has  not  been  imported  to  any  important  degree,  as  it 
does  not  exist  in  large  numbers  in  its  native  home,  this  region 
being  more  celebrated  for  its  cattle. 

5.  Ardennais.    This  is  a  native  of  Ardennes  on  the  Belgian 
frontier  in  northern  France.    It  has  been  described  as  a  small  type 
of  Belgian  and  is  probably  not  much  imported. 


120  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

6.  Picardy.  French  authorities  rather  class  this  as  the  Flem- 
ish horse,  very  large  and  generally  bay  in  color.  It  is  bred  in 
northern  France  and  Belgium  and  is  in  fact  the  Belgian  breed, 
though  M.  La  Motte  Rouge,  who  was  for  many  years  employed 
in  the  government  studs  of  France,  claims  that  the  Picardy  is  in 
fact  a  variety  of  Boulonnais. 

Of  the  breeds  given  above  the  first  three  are  the  only  ones  of 
importance  as  possibly  affecting  American  trade. 

The  National  French  Draft  Horse  Association  of  America  pub- 
lishes a  studbook  in  which  may  be  registered  any  of  the  above- 
named  draft  horses,  irrespective  of  breed.  This  association  was 
first  organized  in  1876  as  the  National  Norman  Horse  Association, 
but  in  1885  its  title  was  changed  to  the  National  French  Draft 
Horse  Association.  This  was  entirely  correct,  as  there  is  no  such 
breed  of  horses  in  France  as  Norman,  notwithstanding  the  current 
use  of  this  word  in  America  for  over  half  a  century.  Up  to  1919 
this  association  has  published  fourteen  studbooks. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  BELGIAN 

The  native  home  of  the  Belgian  horse  is  in  western  Europe,  in 
Belgium,  which  lies  within  latitudes  49|0-52°N.,  with  its  west 
border  bathed  by  the  North  Sea.  It  is  a  small  country  of  but 
11,373  square  miles,  being  but  slightly  more  than  one  fourth  the 
size  of  Ohio.  In  1914  Belgium  had  about  seven  million  popula- 
tion, with  more  persons  to  the  square  mile  than  any  other  European 
state.  The  country  is  level  and  low  near  the  sea,  undulating  in  the 
center,  while  the  eastern  part  is  hilly  or  mountainous.  There  are 
nine  provinces.  The  soil  is  naturally  fertile  in  much  of  Belgium, 
and  agriculture  is  conducted  on  an  intensive  scale.  The  small 
grains,  potatoes,  market  gardening,  and  nursery  stock  are  impor- 
tant crops.  Horses  and  cattle  are  the  predominating  farm  animals, 
while  dogs  are  universally  used  in  labor  both  in  town  and  country. 

Horse  production  in  Belgium  extends  back  to  remote  times. 
Remains  of  the  horse  have  been  found  in  the  cave  dwellings  of 
the  Lesse  and  Meuse,  showing  the  relationship  of  man  to  this  valu- 
able animal  in  that  country  in  prehistoric  times.  Since  the  days  of 
historical  record  the  horse  of  Belgium  has  been  famous.  Diodorus 
Siculus,  a  Greek  historical  writer  of  the  first  century  B.C.,  mentions 
that  the  Belgians  were  great  judges  of  horses,  and  Caesar  states  that 
they  were  willing  to  pay  high  prices  for  a  superior  class  of  foreign 
horses.  Tacitus,  the  historian  and  well-known  writer  of  the  first 
century  A.  D.,  commented  on  the  extensive  buying  of  horses  from 
Belgium  and  the  inability  of  the  people  to  furnish  as  many  as  were 
desired.  It  has  even  been  assumed  that  perhaps  the  greater  part 
of  the  Roman  cavalry  consisted  of  Belgian  horses. 

Two  breeds  of  horses  of  ancient  origin  in  Belgium  are  said  to 
be  the  progenitors  of  the  present-day  stock.  In  the  first  volume  of 
the  "  National  Studbook  of  Belgian  Breeders  "  the  secretary  states 
that  two  pure  races  of  horses  come  up  from  early  times  in  Belgium. 
One  is  the  Ardenne,  which  originated  in  the  valley  of  the  Meuse 

R  121 


122 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


in  the  eastern  part  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  other  the  Frisonne, 
which  developed  on  the  western  coast.  A  variation  from  the 
latter  race  was  a  large  horse  known  as  the  Flemish.  These  two 
races  crossed  more  or  less,  from  which  developed  the  Brabangon 
horse,  or  what  is  now  commonly  known  as  the  Belgian.  While 
what  we  know  in  America  as  the  Belgian  is  bred  in  most  of  the 
nine  provinces,  the  breed  in  its  best  estate  is  found  in  Brabant, 


FIG.  44.    A  farm  scene  in  Belgium  near  Borsbeke,  illustrating  the  intensive 
cultivation  practiced  in  that  country.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

in  central  Belgium  near  Brussels,  in  Hainaut  south  centrally 
located,  and  in  Namur  and  Liege  in  the  eastern  section.  About 
1910  some  fifty  thousand  horses  were  reported  in  Brabant  alone. 
The  methods  employed  by  the  Belgian  government  to  encourage 
horse  breeding,  up  to  the  opening  of  the  World  War,  are  of  special 
interest.  These  methods  no  doubt  will  be  somewhat  changed, 
now  that  the  war  is  over,  but  they  are  presented  by  the  author 
with  the  assumption  that  they  are  once  more  in  operation  as  at 
the  opening  of  hostilities.  Certain  state  regulations  concerning 
the  breeding  of  draft  horses  are  subject  to  constant  supervision. 


THE  BELGIAN 


123 


The  sum  of  about  350,000  francs  ($70,000)  is  annually  expended 
in  behalf  of  this  work.  This  money  is  used  to  meet  the  ex- 
pense of  shows  of  foals  and  mares,  which  are  fixed  by  provincial 
regulations  and  which  occur  in  some  forty-four  different  places. 
Stallions  are  also  submitted  for  examination  at  this  time.  At  each 
of  these  shows  two  classes  of  prizes  are  awarded :  (i)  a  first  prize 
of  400  francs  ($80)  and  a  second  of  300  francs  for  the  first-  and 
second-prize  three-year-old  stal- 
lions;  (2)  a  first  prize  of  550 
francs  ($110)  and  a  second  of 
400  francs  for  the  first-  and 
second-prize  four-year-old  or 
older  stallions.  Other  smaller, 
extra  prizes  may  be  awarded 
on  stallions  of  rank  subordi- 
nate to  the  first  and  second. 
To  promote  home  horse  im- 
provement the  examining 
committee  may  award  a  main- 
tenance bounty  of  700  francs 
to  the  owner  of  each  stallion 
not  under  four  years  old  that 
has  won  a  first  prize  at  a  pre- 
vious annual  show.  A  similar 
prize  of  500  francs  is  awarded 
the  owner  of  the  stallion  which 
has  won  for  two  years  the 
second  place  in  the  class  of 
stallions  four  years  old  or  over. 
If  the  committee  regards  as  of 

exceptional  value  a  stallion  that  has  won  a  maintenance  prize,  it 
may  nominate  him  to  compete  for  a  bounty  of  6000  francs  ($  1 200) 
payable  annually  by  fifths,  so  long  as  the  horse  remains  approved 
by  the  committee  and  retains  its  value.  At  the  end. of  five  years 
the  owner  of  such  a  stallion,  if  it  remains  approved,  may  continue 
to  enjoy  an  annual  maintenance  of  from  600  to  800  francs.  In 
case  a  stallion  that  has  received  the  6000  francs'  bounty  is  sold 
to  leave  Belgium,  the  fifths  already  received  by  the  owner  must  be 


FIG.  45.    A  Belgian  stallion  of  quality. 

From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  M.  A. 

Van  Schelle,   Belgian  commissioner  to 

the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition 


124  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

returned  to  the  treasury  of  the  state.  There  is  an  annual  compe- 
tition in  each  province  for  stallions  four  years  old  or  over  that 
have  won  the  above  special  prizes,  at  which  they  may  compete 
for  a  first  prize  of  900  francs  and  a  second  of  700  francs. 

The  examination  of  stallions  usually  occurs  the  sixth  year,  with 
a  show  of  foals  and  fillies  of  two  and  three  years  and  brood 
mares,  when  considerable  prize  money  is  awarded.  Maintenance 
bounties  may  also  be  awarded  owners  of  the  best  mares  in  order 
to  retain  them  in  Belgium. 

M.  Andre  Duchateau,  a  noted  breeder  of  Belgium,  gives  an 
interesting  account  of  the  official  supervision  of  breeding  stock.1 

In  every  province  of  Belgium  at  this  period  (November  and  December) 
there  is  an  expert  committee  sent  to  all  the  farms  for  the  purpose  of  examining 
the  colts  destined  for  public  stallion  service  and  also  to  inspect  the  older  stal- 
lions, as  the  certificate  for  service  must  be  renewed  each  year.  This  is  obliga- 
tory in  Belgium,  even  for  stallions  not  kept  at  public  stud,  if  the  animals  belong 
to  two  or  more  persons  collectively.  Stallion  service  books  are  delivered  to  all 
proprietors  of  approved  sires,  and  each  time  a  mare  is  served  the  groom  must 
enter  in  this  book  the  description  of  the  mare,  date  of  service  and  the  name 
and  address  of  the  mare  owner.  A  duplicate  stating  these  facts  is  given  to  the 
latter  at  the  same  time.  Subsequont  services  to  the  same  mare  are  entered  on 
the  same  sheet.  These  stallion  books  must  be  forwarded  to  the  provincial 
commissions  of  agriculture  each  year  before  the  first  of  September.  Anyone 
winning  prizes  with  a  stallion  at  a  show  is  obliged  to  stand  him  at  public 
service.  A  stallion  groom  is  forbidden  to  allow  his  horse  to  serve  any  mare 
with  congenital  deformities,  or  one  suffering  from  a  contagious  disease.  Neither 
must  the  stallion  be  allowed  to  serve  fillies  less  than  three  years  old. 

Stud  fees  in  Belgium  vary  from  $5  to  $100,  according  to  the 
origin  and  quality  of  the  sire.  Just  prior  to  the  World  War  high- 
priced  sires  were  in  great  demand.  The  very  noted  horse  Indigene 
du  Fosteau,  even  at  eleven  years  of  age,  says  M.  Duchateau,  was 
in  use  the  entire  season  for  the  maximum  fee  of  $100.  Two  of 
his  sons,  Moustic  de  Grandglise  and  Brabangonne,  were  given  all 
the  mares  -they  could  cover  at  $60.  The  older  and  better-known 
sires  naturally  command  higher  figures  than  the  younger  and  less 
tried  ones.  The  stud  season  lasts  from  January  to  July. 

The  introduction  of  Belgian  horses  to  America  first  occurred  in 
1866,  when  Dr.  A.  G.  van  Hoorebeke  of  Monmouth,  Illinois, 

1  How  the  Belgian  Drafters  have  been  Bred,  Breeders'  Gazette,  December  18, 1912. 


THE  BELGIAN 


125 


imported  some  draft  horses  from  Belgium.  These  were  known  at 
the  time  as  Boulonnais.  The  incorrect  use  of  this  word,  however, 
was  recognized  after  a  few  years,  when  the  correct  title,  "  Belgian," 
was  given.  Massion  and  Son  of  Minonk,  Illinois,  were  also  early 
importers.  In  1858  E.  Lefebure  came  to  America  from  Belgium 
and  settled  in  Iowa,  and  from  1888  until  1905  he  was  an  active 
promoter  and  introducer  of  the  breed.  H.  Wolff  of  Wabash, 
Indiana,  was  a  pioneer  promoter  of  the  Belgian  in  that  state. 


FIG.  46.   Farceur  7332  (72924),  champion  at  Brussels  and  at  the  International  Live- 
stock Exposition.    A  great  show  horse  and  sire.    Sold  for  $46,500  to  C.  G.  Good, 
Ogden,  Iowa.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Good 

Characteristics  of  the  Belgian  draft  horse.  The  general  con- 
formation is  of  the  most  compact  form,  this  breed  having  a 
maximum  of  weight  within  a  given  space.  The  head  shows  con- 
siderable refinement  and  is  carried  with  animation  on  a  short, 
stout  neck.  The  head,  neck,  and  croup  rather  suggest  the  French 
breeds  in  style  and  carriage.  The  body  is  very  full  in  the  breast 
and  strong  and  full  in  the  loins,  with  an  unusual  depth  of  middle. 
The  legs  of  the  Belgian  are  short  and  tend  to  refinement  of 
bone  and  are  devoid  of  long  hair.  Compared  with  a  Clydesdale, 
the  Belgian  is  much  deeper  of  rib  and  shorter  of  leg,  but  not  the 
equal  of  the  Clyde  in  feet,  hocks,  and  bone.  The/r^/  tend  to  be 


126  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

somewhat  small  for  the  weight  they  support,  and  they  have  beeri 
criticized  in  the  past  for  lack  of  fullness  at  the  crown  and  as 
being  rather  high  and  narrow  at  the  heel.  In  action  the  Belgian 
is  somewhat  slow,  especially  at  a  walk,  though  some  remarkable 
actors  have  been  exhibited  at  the  shows.  In  1909  A.  H.  Thompson 
attended  the  Brussels  show,  after  which  he  contributed  a  report 
on  the  show  to  the  Breeders'  Gazette}  Commenting  on  the 
characteristics  of  the  Belgian,  he  writes : 

There  is  a  great  improvement  in  the  breed  since  I  first  knew  them  from 
the  importation  into  Ohio  in  the  sixties.  Their  necks  are  longer,  the  ears  set 
higher  on  the  head,  the  eyes  larger ;  they  are  not  so  thick  in  the  throat-latch, 
and  finer  in  the  jaw  and  muzzle.  They  are  doing  away  with  the  dip  in  the 
back,  and  have  lengthened  out  and  rounded  their  quarters,  which  has  set  up 
their  tails  where  they  ought  to  be.  They  still  could  do  with  a  little  more  bone 
and  length  of  pastern.  They  have  excellent  traits  for  a  draft  horse,  and  kind 
temper,  easily  kept,  not  taking  a  great  deal  of  grain  to  fill  up  their  short,  deep 
bodies.  They  have  their  faults,  which  will  in  time  be  corrected.  Many  of 
them  turn  their  toes  in  and  paddle  badly  at  the  walk  and  trot. 

He  also  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  as  a  rule  these  horses  are 
very  sound  and  that  at  the  show  not  a  single  horse  was  turned 
down  by  the  veterinary  surgeons  during  the  entire  week. 

M.  Duchateau  states  in  the  Breeders  Gazette?  relative  to  con- 
formation, that  the  two  main  qualities  sought  in  the  Belgian  are 
wealth  of  muscular  development  and  a  correct  setting  of  feet 
and  legs.  While  strong,  dense  bone  is  required  to  support  the 
thick,  heavy  muscles,  they  do  not  look  for  exaggeration  in  this 
respect,  as  disproportionate  size  of  bone  would  militate  against 
style  and  action.  "  We  like  to  see  a  large,  expressive  eye,  but 
Belgian  breeders'  ideals  concerning  the  head  and  neck  are  not 
quite  in  concordance  with  American  notions,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  we  cater  largely  to  the  American  trade." 

The  color  of  the  Belgian  horse  is  variable,  ranging  through 
bay,  chestnut,  roan,  "  auburn,"  black,  gray,  and  dun.  The  degree 
of  popularity  is  expressed  in  the  order  given.  On  this  subject 
E.  Mueleman  of  Belgium  has  given  a  valuable  contribution.3  He 
directs  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  paintings  of  the  early  masters 

1  July  21,  1909.  2  December  18,  1912. 

3  Breeders1  Gazette,  May  10,  1911,  p.  1168. 


THE  BELGIAN  1 27 

of  the  Flemish  school  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries 
showed  no  prevailing  color  as  indicative  of  breed.  He  quotes  an 
early  manuscript  dated  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  rela- 
tive to  the  color  of  the  Braban^on  horses,  as  follows:  "Though 
we  have  horses  of  every  color  we  reduce  them  to  three  principal 
coats,  —  the  black,  the  most  common ;  then  comes  the  light  and 
dark  bay,  and  lastly  the  gray  of  several  shades."  Mueleman 
offers  an  interesting  classification  of  Belgian  colors  of  horses 
shown  in  the  National  show  at  Brussels  in  six  different  years. 
In  1910  bay  prevailed  in  51.2  per  cent  of  the  entries,  chestnut  in 
36.8,  roan  in  5.3,  auburn  in  1.9,  black  in  2.7,  and  gray  in  2.1. 
There  is  shown  a  more  or  less  steady  decline  in  roans,  grays,  and 
blacks  in  recent  years,  while  dun  has  not  been  recorded  since  1886. 
Nearly  90  per  cent  of  the  prize  winners  are  included  among  the 
bays  and  chestnuts  in  the  order  given. 

The  height  and  weight  of  the  Belgian  vary  materially.  M.  Albert 
Van  Schelle,  the  special  commissioner  from  Belgium  in  charge 
of  the  exhibit  of  Belgian  draft  horses  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase 
Exposition  at  St.  Louis  in  1904,  classes  the  horses  of  Belgium 
into  three  types  according  to  the  sections  of  the  country  to  which 
they  belong.  Those  from  Flanders  range  in  height  from  i6|  to 
17  hands  or  more,  and  the  stallions  weigh  about  2000  pounds. 
Those  from  Brabant  stand  i.5|  to  i6|  hands,  and  the  stallions 
weigh  about  1600,  while  those  of  the  Ardennais  stand  from  15 
to  I5|-  hands  in  height  and  weigh  about  1200  pounds. 

On  the  basis  of  the  development  of  the  breed  in  recent  years 
these  figures  hardly  measure  up  to  American  or  Belgian  standards. 
Unquestionably  the  breed  is  lower  set  than  the  other  draft  breeds, 
but  the  larger  type  should  show  stallions  weighing  in  excess  of 
2000  pounds.  Crouch  and  Son  of  Indiana,  who  have  imported 
many  Belgians,  give  the  weight  of  the  1908  International  cham- 
pion, Perce  2276,  as  2510  pounds.  Some  very  massive  examples 
of  the  breed  are  to  be  found  to-day.  The  Belgian  colt  weighs 
heavy  for  its  age,  and  there  are  records  of  males  scarcely  six 
months  old  weighing  850  pounds,  and  one  Ohio  breeder  reports 
a  colt  at  seven  and  one-half  months  weighing  990  pounds. 

The  temperament  of  the  Belgian  is  of  the  very  best.  This  is 
due  no  doubt  to  being  raised  in  a  country  of  small  farms,  in 


128 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


close  contact  with  the  everyday  life  of  the  people.  Many  of  the 
horses  are  sheltered  beneath  the  same  roof  as  their  owners  or  care- 
takers. As  the  author  has  seen  these  horses  at  work  on  the  streets 
of  the  cities  of  Belgium  and  on  the  farms,  he  has  been  much  im- 
pressed with  their  docility  and  their  great  and  uniform  draft  power. 
The  maturing  quality  of  the  Belgian  is  distinctly  superior.  As 
has  been  already  said,  he  develops  quickly  and  attains  mature  size 


FIG,  47.    Babette,  a  typical   Belgian  mare.    Photograph  from  A.  Van  Schelle, 
Special  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  from  Belgium  to  the  Louisiana  Purchase 

Exposition,  1904 

and  weight  with  more  than  ordinary  rapidity.  In  the  United  States— 
in  the  Central  West  —  professional  feeders  of  horses  look  with 
favor  on  the  Belgian  on  account  of  the  way  he  develops. 

The  crossbred  Belgian  has  as  yet  been  but  little  seen  in  the 
United  States,  but  he  has  met  with  a  favorable  reception  where 
produced.  A  few  years  ago  a  consignment  of  grade  Belgian 
drafters,  the  product  of  pure-bred  stallions  on  native  mares,  was 
sold  at  auction  in  Chicago  market  at  excellent  prices  and  received 


THE  BELGIAN 


129 


much  favorable  comment.  The  author  has  seen  numerous  grade 
geldings  shipped  to  Ohio  feeders  from  the  West  which  have  pre- 
sented a  most  attractive  individuality.  Ohio  shippers  are  looking 
with  more  and  more  favor  on  heavy  Belgian  geldings  as  quite 
satisfactory  to  the  city  trade.  They  seem  to  be  reasonably  sound 
of  limb  and  possess  the  draft  form  and  weight  so  much  in  de- 
mand for  heavy  hauling.  In  recent  years  grade  Belgians  have 
materially  increased 
in  number. 

Foundation  Belgian 
sires  trace  back  to 
comparatively  recent 
times,  when  we  con- 
sider the  age  of  the 
breed.  M.  Leon  Van 
Meldert  has  contrib- 
uted some  interesting 
information  regarding 
the  foundation  sires,1 
from  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  arranged  : 

Forton  of  Wynhuize, 
known  also  as  Le  Gros 
de  Wynhuize  and  in 
Flemish  as  Den  dik- 
ken  van  Wynhuize, 
was  foaled  in  1835  in  the  stable  of  Charles  L.  Tuypens,  Wynhuize, 
East  Flanders.  He  was  a  bay,  sired  by  Francis  and  was  out  of  a 
mare,  Marie,  that  had  the  same  sire  as  Francis.  Forton  of  Wyn- 
huize lived  from  1835  to  1858  and  sired  Forton  of  St.  John,  a  bay 
foaled  in  1847.  In  1856  this  son  sired  Forton  of  On  Rersule,  a 
light  bay,  which  became  the  sire  of  London,  sire  of  Forton  2d, 
a  dark  bay  foaled  in  1881. 

Samson,  known  also  as  Young  Forton  of  Wynhuize,  a  brown 
horse, -was  foaled  late  in  1830.  He  was  the  sire  of  Alfred,  also 
called  Forton  of  Appelterre,  a  dapple  gray  foaled  in  1851  and 
living  until  1877.  Alfred  sired  Guzusse,  later  Orange  ist(H44), 

^Breeders*  Gazette,  January  29,  1914,  p.  223. 


FIG.  48.  Queen  Ann  6119,  a  Belgian  mare  owned 
by  Ohio  State  University,  Columbus.  A  fine  type 
of  the  modern  Belgian  mare.  Reserve  champion 
in  1917  at  Ohio  State  Fair.  From  photograph  by 
E.  K.  Emslie 


130  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

a  light  bay.  Alfred  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  valuable 
stallions  in  Belgium. 

Orange  7^(1144),  foaled  in  1863  and  living  twenty-two  years, 
was  sired  by  Alfred.  Orange  sired  four  famous  horses  :  Brilliant 
(708),  many  times  champion  in  France,  Germany,  Holland,  and 
Belgium  ;  Jupiter  (126),  the  champion  of  1889  ;  Morius  ;  and  Jean 
ist  (1200). 

Brilliant  (708),  a  chestnut,  was  foaled  in  1868  and  was  sired 
by  Orange  1st  (1144)  and  out  of  the  foundation  mare  Blonde. 
Brilliant  was  of  powerful  draft  type,  with  superior  feet  and  legs 
and  possessing  most  excellent  action.  For  many  years  he  was  in 
great  favor  as  a  sire,  though  hardly  the  equal  of  his  own  sire  as 
a  producer. 

Jupiter  (126),  the  half  brother  of  Brilliant,  was  foaled  in  1880 
and  was. sired  by  Orange  ist  (i  144) ;  dam,  Julie.  He  was  a  sire  of 
remarkable  excellence,  surpassing  his  own  sire.  His  sons,  in  par- 
ticular, were  in  great  demand  and  commanded  high  prices.  Some 
regard  Jupiter  as  the  greatest  Belgian  sire  in  the  history  of  the 
breed.  From  1894  to  1904  all  the  male  champions  at  Brussels 
but  three  were  his  sons  or  grandsons.  These  include  Mont  d'Or 
(6120)  in  1894  and  1895,  Olympian  (8114)  in  1896,  Reve  d'Or 
(7406)  in  1898  (champion  at  Paris  in  1900  over  all  breeds), 
Private  (8878)  in  1899,  Brin  d'Or  (7902)  in  1900,  Bienvenue 
(13592)  in  1901,  and  Bourgogne  (13154)  in  1902. 

Mercury  (714),  a  dapple  gray,  foaled  in  1882,  was  a  product  of 
the  Chevalier  stables  in  Hainaut.  He  was  low  set,  of  unusual 
action,  and  champion  at  the  National  show  in  1887  and  1888.  He 
sired  about  forty  prize  winners  at  Brussels  between  1894  and  1901. 

Bayard  (1146),  a  chestnut  roan  foaled  in  1864,  came  from  a 
family  of  roan  Belgians  originating  in  Brabant.  The  original  horse 
of  record  was  a  blue  roan,  Old  Min  de  la  Cozette,  the  sire  of  a  blue 
roan,  Mestiaux  de  Ronquieres.  A  son  of  his,  Mouton  de  Gony, 
sired  Bayard  (1146),  a  horse  of  great  individuality  and  draft  con- 
formation. Bayard  was  sire  of  about  forty  prize  winners  between 
1886  and  1904. 

Notable  recent-day  Belgian  horses  are  Indigene  du  Fosteau 
(29718),  champion  at  Brussels  in  1907  and  1909,  a  very  famous 
sire ;  Marquis  de  Ruyen  (24878),  champion  of  1904  ;  Gambrinus 


THE  BELGIAN  13! 

du  Fosteau  (29718),  champion  of  1905  ;  Bienfait  de  Masnuy 
(44718),  champion  of  1910;  Paul  (46036),  champion  of  1911  ; 
and  Farceur  (20730). 

Prices  paid  for  Belgian  horses  have  only  reached  high  levels 
in  recent  years.  In  1889  Jupiter  (126)  was  purchased  for  $1200, 
the  top  price  for  a  Belgian  up  to  that  time.  In  1900  the  stallion 
Citoyjsn  was  bought  by  a  company  in  Limburg  for  $3300.  In 

1903  Beau  Lys  was  bought  by  Liege  breeders  for  $4500.    In 

1904  another  group  of  breeders  purchased  the  stallion  Njckel  for 
$5400.    The  above  sales  all  took  place  in  Belgium.    In  1909,  at  a 
sale  of  Souers  and  Son  of  Indiana,  twenty-nine  Belgians  brought 
$15,885,  an  average  of  $548  each.    The  most  notable  sale  of  the 
breed  took  place  on  October  16,  1917,  at  Hudson,  Iowa,  at  the 
sale  of  William  Crownover.    The  stallion  Farceur  7332  (72924), 
by  Bayard  de  Ruyen  (32678),  was  sold  to  C.  G.  Good  of  Iowa 
for  $47,500.    The  get  of  Farceur  averaged  $1475.    Thirty-five 
mares  brought  $39,425,  an  average  of  $i  127.    Eighteen  stallions, 
including  Farceur,  averaged  $3297.    A  weanling  stallion  by  Far- 
ceur brought  $1875.  The  highest  price  for  a  mare  by  Farceur  was 
$2900.    At  Huntertown,  Indiana,  on  February  15,  1919,  Daron, 
a  stallion  foaled  in  1911,  sold  for  $10,500  to  William  Bleke. 

The  distribution  of  Belgian  draft  horses  is  very  widespread. 
Germany  has  been  a  prominent  buyer,  while  England,  Holland, 
Sweden,  France,  Denmark,  Austria,  and  the  United  States  have 
buyers  in  the  Belgian  market.  In  1903  more  than  300  were  shipped 
to  the  United  States.  At  the  1904  Brussels  show  an  official  repre- 
sentative of  the  Hungarian  government  purchased  10  stallions,  in- 
cluding 6  first-prize  winners.  In  the  United  States  the  Belgian 
has  been  longest  known  in  Iowa,  Illinois,  and  Indiana.  Stallions 
and  grades  are,  however,  becoming  distributed  over  the  Mississippi 
Valley  states  north  of  the  Ohio,  wherever  the  heavy  draft  horse  is 
needed,  and  the  breed  is  steadily  gaining  in  favor. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Belgian  horses  exist  in  Belgium 
and  the  United  States.  The  official  draft-horse  society  of  Bel- 
gium (Le  cheval  de  trait  Beige)  was  founded  in  1886.  The  draft 
horse  is  the  only  breed  in  Belgium  officially  promoted  by  the 
government,  and  this  society  was  organized  (i)  to  encourage  the 
breeding  of  native  horses  by  the  organization  of  annual  National 


132 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


shows  and  (2)  to  maintain  a  studbook  of  Belgian  draft  horses. 
The  studbook  is  published  by  a  special  commission  appointed  by 
the  society.  To  promote  the  work  of  this  society  the  government 
makes  an  annual  grant  of  30,000  francs  ($5000).  Besides  this, 
since  1890  national  premiums  have  been  offered  for  the  best 
stallions.  This  society  has  some  noo  members.  The  American 
Association  of  Importers  and  Breeders  of  Belgian  Draft  Horses 


FIG.  49.  A  quartet  of  Belgian  mares  in  their  native  home.  From  photograph 
by  M.  A.  Van  Schelle,  Belgian  commissioner  to  the  Louisiana  Purchase 

Exposition,  1904 

was  organized  in  1877  and  works  in  harmony  with  the  Belgian 
society.  Up  to  1918  it  had  published  six  studbooks,  including 
a  large  number  of  registrations  comparatively  recently. 

Draft-horse  shows  in  Belgium  are  held  each  year  at  Brussels 
in  June.  These  are  notable  events,  for  here  is  the  largest  show 
of  one  breed  that  is  held  in  Europe.  In  1912  at  this  show  there 
were  nearly  one  thousand  entries.  While  the  exhibits  come  from 
all  over  Belgium,  the  most  important  ones  in  recent  years  have 
come  from  Brabant  and  Hainaut  and  the  provinces  of  Liege  and 
Namur.  This  has  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
horse  shows  held  in  the  world.  Numerous  agricultural  associations 
also  hold  exhibitions  in  Belgium,  at  which  local  horses  are  shown. 


THE  BELGIAN  133 

Exhibitions  of  Belgians  in  the  United  States  are  comparatively 
recent.  Small  exhibits  have  attracted  attention  at  the  Chicago 
horse  show  and  at  some  of  the  Central  West  fairs  during  the 
past  twenty  years,  but  it  is  only  very  lately  that  general  interest 
has  been  taken  in  the  breed.  A  small  show  of  Belgians  "was 
made  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893  at  Chicago 
by  A.  B.  Holbert,  Van  Volsen  Brothers  and  Vanderschuerm, 
Lefebure  and  Sons  of  Iowa,  and  J.  Crouch  and  Son  of  Indiana. 
During  recent  years  interest  in  the  breed  has  greatly  grown,  and 
at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  at  Chicago  in  1917 
there  were  entered  thirty-four  aged  stallions,  while  a  large  and 
creditable  show  of  various  classes  was  made. 

The  influence  of  the  World  War  on  the  horse  in  Belgium  was 
most  damaging,  for  the  German  invaders  essentially  destroyed 
the  horse  industry  of  the  country.  However,  horses  were  saved 
early  in  the  war  by  taking  a  limited  number  to  Holland  and 
England,  where  they  were  given  protection  and  care,  awaiting 
the  day  of  peace.  With  the  return  of  peace,  Belgian  breeders, 
with  the  help  of  their  friends,  will  be  able  to  reestablish  their 
studs.  In  1918  a  commission  from  Belgium  spent  some  time 
visiting  American  studs  with  the  view  of  looking  to  this  country 
for  much-needed  pure-bred  stock. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  CLYDESDALE 

The  native  home  of  the  Clydesdale  horse  is  in  western  Scot- 
land, in  the  southern  section,  in  a  region  contiguous  to  Glasgow 
in  the  valley  of  the  Clyde.  Early  historical  evidence  points  to 
the  county  of  Lanark  as  the  location  where  the  breed  first  re- 
ceived recognition.  The  adjoining  counties  of  Ayr  and  Renfrew 
also  were  more  or  less  the  centers  of  early  Clydesdale  breeding. 
This  region  lies  between  latitudes  55°-56°  N.,  fully  one  thousand 
miles  north  of  New  York  City ;  the  climate  is  raw  and  cold  in 
winter  and  never  especially  warm  in  the  milder  seasons.  The 
land  about  the  Clyde  valley  is  hilly,  but  yields  great  crops  of  the 
small  cereals,  roots,  hay,  and  potatoes. 

The  early  history  of  the  Clydesdale  is  veiled  in  more  or  less 
obscurity.  Scotch  writers  on  the  horse  state  that  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  was  doubt- 
less an  interchange  of  draft-horse  blood  between  Scotland  and 
England.  Scotch  cattle  dealers  driving  herds  into  England  re- 
turned north  with  English  mares,  which  were  bred  to  stallions  in 
the  northland.  This  was  prior  to  the  use  of  the  word  "  Clydesdale." 
Claims  have  been  made  that  the  Duke  of  Hamilton  brought  black 
stallions  from  Flanders  in  Belgium  to  Scotland  about  the  middle 
of  the  seventeenth  century  and  bred  them  to  the  native  Scotch 
mares.  This,  however,  is  traditional.  Undoubtedly  very  mixed 
blood  was  in  the  early  breeding. 

The  origin  of  the  modern  Clydesdale  seems  to  trace  back  to 
about  1715  or  1720.  John  Paterson  was  a  tenant  farmer  of  Loch- 
lyoch  in  Carmichael  parish  in  the  county  of  Lanark.  This  county 
is  in  southern  Scotland,  and  through  its  center  flows  the  river  Clyde, 
from  which  the  name  "  Clydesdale  "  is  derived.  Written  testimony 
of  the  family  shows  that  at  about  the  above  period  Paterson 
brought  a  black  Flemish  stallion  from  England  to  Lochlyoch, 
which  was  bred  to  the  mares  in  the  region  thereabouts.  The 

134 


THE  CLYDESDALE 


135 


result  of  this  union  created  a  superior  strain  of  draft  horses  for 
that  time,  and  they  met  with  special  favor  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  and  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
Breeders  valued  the  influence  of  the  Lochlyoch  blood,  and  this 
is  now  regarded  as  essentially  Clydesdale  foundation  stock.  The 
mares  descended  from  this  Flemish  stallion  are  described  as 
"  generally  browns  and  blacks,  with  white  faces  and  a  little  white 
on  their  legs ;  they  had  gray  hairs  in  their  tails,  along  with 
occasional  gray  hairs 
over  th.eir  bodies,  and 
invariably  a  white  spot 
on  the  belly,  this  latter 
being  regarded  as  a 
mark  of  distinct  purity 
of  blood."  The  Earl 
of  Dunmore,  the  first 
president  of  the 
Clydesdale  Horse  So- 
ciety of  Great  Britain, 
stated  in  1878*  that 
"  the  Lochlyoch  stock 
having  been  long 
noted  in  the  Upper 


FIG.  50.  Baron's  Pride  (9122),  one  of  the  greatest 
recent  Clydesdale  sires  in  Scotland.  From  photo- 
graph by  A.  Brown  &  Company,  Lanark,  Scotland 


Ward     (Lanarkshire) 
and  largely  drawn  up- 
on   by    breeders,    there    is    no    doubt    that   to   them,   or,   more 
correctly,  to  the  black  horse  of  1715,  the  Clydesdale  horse  owes 
its  present  distinctive  character." 

The  use  of  English  blood  on  the  Clydesdale,  following  the  days 
of  Paterson  up  to  comparatively  recent  times,  is  admitted  by 
Professor  Wallace,  a  leading  Scotch  authority.  Tintock,  a  Shire 
stallion,  along  about  1860  was  used  in  Scotland  on  Clydesdale 
mares,  producing  very  excellent  breeding  females.  The  grandams 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales  were  both  Shires  of  English  blood.  In 
1842  Professor  Low  commented  on  the  distribution  of  the  breed 
and  stated  that  they  "  have  been  mixed  in  blood  with  all  the 
other  varieties."  As  recent  as  1919  more  breeding  of  this  kind 

1  The  Clydesdale  Studbook.   London,  1878. 


136  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

is  reported  from  Scotland.  William  Dunlop,  the  famous  Clydes- 
dale breeder  at  Dunure  Mains,  visited  England  and  purchased  a 
Shire  stallion  and  a  filly,  and,  as  reported  in  a  British  journal, 
"it  is  his  intention  to  mate  them  with  some  of  his  noted  Clydes- 
dales. Mr.  Dunlop  is  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  the  Clydesdale 
breed  can  be  improved  through  Shire  crossing."  It  must  be 
assumed,  however,  that  only  pure-bred  Clydesdales  will  be  regis- 
tered in  the  studbook ;  otherwise  present  standards  would  suffer. 


FIG.  51.    Baron  of  Buchlyvie  (11263),  the  most  advertised  Clydesdale  horse  in 

history,  a  leading  sire,  and  sold  for  $47,500.    From  photograph  by  A.  Brown 

&  Company,  Lanark,  Scotland 

Clydesdale  characteristics.  This  breed  of  draft  horses  possesses 
certain  features  of  a  distinctive  kind  on  which  loyal  Scotchmen 
lay  great  emphasis.  The  feet  and  bone  and  action  are  cardinal 
points  with  Clydesdale  breeders.  The  feet  must  be  large,  round, 
and  open,  with  an  elastic  frog  and  well-spread,  clearly  expressed 
heel ;  the  coronet  wide  ;  the  pasterns  fairly  long  and  rather  slop- 
ing ;  the  cannons  short,  flat,  hard,  and  cordy ;  and  the  forearms, 
arms,  thighs,  and  quarters  notably  muscled  and  strong.  The  ten- 
dency with  the  Clydesdale  is  to  show  some  lightness  of  forearm 
and  thigh.  From  the  back  side  of  the  leg  at  the  cannons  should 
grow  an  abundance  of  long,  fine  hair,  a  striking  feature  in  the 
best  specimens  of  Clydesdales  and  indicative  of  quality.  White 


THE  CLYDESDALE  137 

feet,  though  common,  are  often  objected  to,  on  the  ground  that 
they  lack  the  density  and  wearing  power  of  dark  feet,  and  there 
is  a  distinct  objection  to  them  in  Argentina  and  elsewhere. 
Emphasis  is  laid  on  the  fullness  of  the  foot,  the  obliqueness  of 
the  pastern,  and  the  flatness  and  cleanness  of  bone  of  lower  leg. 
The  body  of  the  Clydesdale  has  been  most  subject  to  criticism 
in  the  past,  lacking  in  depth  and  circumference  when  it  should 
have  fullness,  as  showing  both  feeding  capacity  and  weight  to 
draw  loads.  Good  horse  critics  still  insist  that  this  deficiency  of 
form  is  too  prevalent  with  the  breed.  However,  it  is  within  the 
facts  that  in  recent  years  the  tendency  has  been  to  secure  greater 
depth  and  spring  of  rib.  An  obliqueness  of  shoulder  is  empha- 
sized among  Clydesdale  breeders,  leading  into  strong,  high  withers. 
While  the  chest  is  narrower  than  with  other  drafters,  a  recent  Brit- 
ish opinion  x  declares  that  "  he  must  have  a  wide  chest  and  his 
limbs  be  well  planted  under  him,  with  no  tendency  to  what  is 
called  being  wide  at  the  shoulder,  so  that  the  horse  is  compelled 
to  walk  in  front  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  a  bulldog."  The 
slightest  inclination  to  this  in  a  Clydesdale  is  regarded  as  unpar- 
donable. The  head  of  this  breed  does  not  differ  in  its  essential 
features  from  what  is  regarded  as  a  correct  conformation.  A 
writer  discussing  the  Clydesdale  in  "Heavy  Horses"  (1894) 
notes  some  peculiarities  of  the  head  worth  recording  here : 

A  tendency  to  "  dish  face  "  may  be  observed  in  some  tribes,  and  this  is 
generally  accompanied  by  a  small  ear  and  what,  in  the  main,  is  characterized 
as  a  "pony  head."  Wherever  this  style  predominates  there  is  probably  a  strain 
of  Highland  or  old  Galloway  in  the  blood.  On  the  other  hand,  the  hard,  narrow 
face  and  Roman  nose  are  regarded  as  equally  if  not  more  objectionable.  Such 
features  are  usually  indicative  of  a  strain  of  Shire  blood  and,  indeed,  they  are  not 
otherwise  to  be  accounted  for  in  the  Clydesdale.  An  open,  level  countenance, 
vigorous  eye,  and  large  ear  are  greatly  valued,  and  are  not  readily  sacrificed. 

The  action  of  the  Clydesdale  is  notable,  not  being  surpassed 
by  any  breed.  Says  Alexander  Galbraith,  an  acknowledged 
American  authority  on  this  breed  : 

Great  attention  has  been  paid  by  the  Scottish  breeders  during  the  last 
twenty  or  thirty  years  to  the  matter  of  action.  No  other  draft  breed  has  re- 
ceived one  half  the  attention  that  the  Clydesdale  has  in  this  respect,  and  for 

^Farmers'  Gazette^  Dublin,  October  30,  1915. 


138  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

that  reason  they  far  surpass  all  others  in  length  of  stride,  in  straightness  and 
sprightliness  of  movement,  in  their  ability  to  keep  their  hocks  together,  with 
mechanical  accuracy  of  motion,  whether  walking  or  trotting. 

The  color  of  the  Clydesdale  is  usually  bay  or  brown,  with  a 
white  star  in  the  forehead  or  blaze  or  stripe  on  the  face  and  with 
all  or  part  of  the  legs,  up  to  the  knees  and  hocks,  white.  Black, 
gray,  and  chestnut  occasionally  occur.  Gray  is  not  popular  from 
a  color  point  of  view  in  Scotland,  though  lately  growing  in  favor, 
while  chestnut  is  said  to  indicate  Shire  blood  in  the  pedigree. 

The  height  and  weight  of  the  Clydesdale  is  a  subject  of  distinct 
importance  in  view  of  more  or  less  criticism  of  the  breed  in  regard 
to  lack  of  weight.  The  height  of  the  mature  stallion  should  be 
about  i6J  to  17  hands,  with  the  mares  two  inches  or  so  lower. 
Sir  Everard  (5352)  stood  17^  hands  high;  Prince  of  Albion 
(6178),  i6|  hands;  and  Flashwood  (3604),  17  hands;  and  these 
represent  models  of  the  breed  in  Scotland.  Weights  of  2000 
pounds  for  the  stallion  and  1800  for  the  mare,  in  mature  form, 
represent  good  standards,  though  somewhat  above  the  average. 
However,  horses  under  show  conditions,  to  meet  the  most  exacting 
competition,  are  expected  to  exceed  the  above  weights. 

The  first  Clydesdales  brought  to  America  were  probably  taken 
to  Canada,  doubtless  on  account  of  the  love  of  Scotch  settlers 
there  for  their  favorite  breed.  The  following  represent  the  earlier 
importations,  the  first  occurring  in  1842  :  Gray  Clyde  78,  importer, 
Archibald  Ward,  Markham,  Ontario,  1842;  Sovereign  181, 
importer,  R.  Johnson,  Scarborough,  Ontario,  1845  ;  Cumber- 
land 1 06,  importer,  David  Roundtree,  Jr.,  Weston,  Ontario, 
1850;  George  Buchanan  182,  importer,  John  Wilson,  Oshawa, 
Ontario,  1851  ;  Bay  Wallace  5,  importer,  William  Cochrane, 
Claremont,  Ontario,  1854. 

Along  in  the  seventies  Clydesdales  were  brought  to  the  United 
States  in  a  small  way,  both  through  Canada  and  by  direct  impor- 
tation. In  the  early  eighties  they  were  brought  over  in  larger 
numbers,  especially  in  1881,  and  between  then  and  1892  the 
trade  increased  greatly  and  several  thousand  stallions  and  mares 
were  brought  across  the  water  and  distributed  over  the  country, 
but  in  recent  years  comparatively  few  horses  of  the  breed  have 
been  imported  to  the  United  States. 


THE  CLYDESDALE 


139 


The  temperament  of  the  Clydesdale  tends  to  be  somewhat  nervous. 
This  is  manifested  in  his  natural  activity.  So  far  as  disposition  is 
concerned,  the  Clydesdale  is  the  equal  of  the  other  draft  breeds. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Clydesdale  to  environment  is  not  first 
class.  In  some  countries  the  breed  has  been  objected  to  on 
account  of  its  white  feet.  In  hot  countries  it  is  more  or  less 


FIG.  52.    Princess   Handsome,  one  of   the   notable  American-bred  Clydesdale 

mares.    First-prize  winner  at  International  Live  Stock  Exposition,  Chicago,  in 

1901,  1902,  and  1903.    Bred  and  owned  by  McLay  Brothers,  Janesville,  Wisconsin. 

From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  owners 

criticized  on  account  of  the  color,  especially  the  white  on  the  head. 
On  the  low-lying,  heavy  soils,  such  as  prevail  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley,  the  excess  of  hair  on  the  leg  has  influenced  its  popularity 
to  a  marked  degree.  As  a  whole,  the  breed  is  better  adapted 
to  uplands  than  are  the  Shire,  Percheron,  or  Belgian,  and  meets 
with  more  favor  in  the  cooler  rather  than  the  warmer  sections. 
The  prolificacy  of  the  Clydesdale  is  of  the  best.  Naturally  very 
active  and  muscular,  the  mares  breed  readily  and,  being  hardy, 
tend  to  be  long-lived. 


140  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Half-bred,  or  grade,  Clydesdales  are  not  uncommon  in  some  sec- 
tions of  the  country.  Pure-bred  stallions  on  native  mares  of  draft 
character  produce  excellent  horses  for  farm  or  city  work.  They 
are  usually  of  medium  draft  weight,  are  active  on  foot,  and  are 
quiet  and  docile  of  temperament.  They  frequently  lack  weight 
for  the  heaviest  work,  which  emphasizes  the  necessity  of  using 
only  such  stallions  for  sires  as  have  plenty  of  middle,  as  well  as 
quality  and  bone.  Clydesdales  and  Shires  in  the  past  have  been 
crossed  a  great  deal,  resulting  in  a  more  drafty  sort  than  the 
Clyde  and  a  better  actor  than  the  Shire.  However,  very  few 
half-breds,  or  grades,  find  their  way  into  the  horse  markets  of  the 
United  States.  i 

Criticisms  of  the  Clydesdale  are  not  uncommon  among  horse- 
men. The  hairy  legs  are  objected  to  by  farmers,  who  have  to 
use  them  on  dirt  roads  or  under  conditions  in  which  mud  or  damp- 
ness are  prevalent  in  the  cooler  months  of  the  year.  The  Scotch- 
man argues  that  the  hair  protects  the  skin  of  the  leg  and  is  an 
evidence  of  superior  bone.  In  spite  of  this  assertion  the  average 
buyer  prefers  a  horse  with  a  leg  free  from  superfluous  hair.  On 
a  city  pavement  or  on  the  hard  macadamized  roads  of  Europe 
the  hair  is  not  so  objectionable.  Mr.  Galbraith  offers  the  follow- 
ing comments  in  friendly  criticism1  of  the  Clydesdale: 

Many  present-day  prize  winners  have,  in  my  opinion,  too  short  ribs  and  not 
enough  depth  of  body.  This  kind  are  not  always  good  breeders  nor  good 
shippers.  They  are  apt  to  be  somewhat  nervous,  restless  and  too  ambitious. 
A  good  many  Clydes  are  undersized,  and  quite  a  number  are  rather  too  fine  in 
bone,  too  narrow  in  chest,  and  too  light  in  arms  and  thighs.  The  narrow 
chests  are  the  result  of  an  urgent  demand  for  absolutely  straight  action.  This 
shortness  of  rib,  with  a  tendency  to  ranginess  of  body,  has  counted  against  the 
breed  in  the  past.  A  short  coupling  and  broad,  deep  body  must  be  a  part 
of  the  best  draft  type,  to  give  the  necessary  weight  for  hauling  heavy  loads. 
However,  many  of  the  more  recent  show  horses  are  distinctly  deeper  of  rib 
and  are  meeting  with  a  more  favorable  reception  by  horsemen  generally. 

Important  Clydesdale  sires,  other  than  the  Flemish  stallion  of 
Paterson,  date  back  to  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  The  first 
of  distinction  was  Glancer  (335),  alias  Thompson's  Black  Horse. 
The  Scotch  studbook  states  that  he  was  foaled  about  1810,  but 

1  "  Seventy-five  Years  of  the  Clydes,"  The  American  Breeder,  January  5,  1912. 


THE  CLYDESDALE 


141 


this  date  is  questioned.  The  story  is  that  Glancer  was  sired  by 
a  black  stallion  named  Blaze,  bought  in  Ayrshire  about  1780 
and  taken  to  Lanark  for  service.  He  was  a  stallion  16^  hands 
high,  perhaps  had  some  coach  blood,  and  possessed  both  style 
and  action.  Blaze,  in  service  to  a  mare  known  as  the  Lampits 
mare,  on  the  Lampits  farm  in  Lanark,  sired  Glancer.  The 


FIG.  53.    Harviestoun  Baroness  (27086),  champion  and  Cawdor  Cup  Clydesdale 

mare,  Cupar,  Scotland,  1912,  and  twice  breed  champion  at  the  International  Live 

Stock  Exposition,  Chicago.    Imported  by  R.  A.  Fairbairn,  New  Market,  New 

Jersey.    From  photograph  by  Strohmeyer,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Fairbairn 

result  of  this  union  became  more  than  locally  famous,  for  from 
him  "  nearly  all  the  best  animals  of  the  present  day  are  descended," 
says  the  "  American  Clydesdale  Studbook."  Glancer's  dam,  which 
died  in  1827,  was  a  famous  brood  mare,  having  produced  other 
superior  foals. 

Broomfield  Champion  (95),  foaled  about  1820,  was  a  notable 
stallion  and  great-grandson  of  Glancer  (335).  He  sired  Clyde, 
alias  Glancer  (153),  Glancer  (338),  Bowman's  Colt  (1078),  and 
a  number  of  great  brood  mares.  Some  of  his  offspring  were 


142  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

successful  in  the  show  ring,  but  his  chief  distinction  comes  from 
being  the  sire  of  Glancer  (153).  According  to  the  Scotch  stud- 
book  (Vol.  I)  he  was  black  in  color,  with  four  white  legs,  on 
which  was  set  a  round,  capacious  body  with  a  short  back.  "  To 
Broomfield  Champion,"  says  the  studbook,  "  every  Clydesdale 
breeder  likes  to  trace  the  descent  of  his  stock."  His  name  is 
most  frequent  in  early  Clydesdale  pedigrees. 

Clyde,  alias  Glancer  (153),  foaled  about  1835,  was  owned  by 
William  Fulton  of  Renfrew  County,  a  noted  breeder,  and  was 
bred  by  Mr.  Forest  of  Lanark  County.  Though  not  a  show 
animal  himself,  from  1844  to  1850  the  leading  honors  of  Scotch 
exhibitions  went  to  the  produce  of  Clyde.  He  was  dark  brown 
in  color,  and  having  been  ruptured  was  known  as  "  The  Rup- 
tured Horse."  Seven  sons  and  one  daughter  of  his  are  recorded 
in  the  first  volume  of  the  "  Scotch  Clydesdale  Studbook."  Most  of 
these  sons  proved  later  to  be  sires  of  great  merit  and  were  used 
in  various  localities  in  improving  the  breed. 

Prince  of  Wales  (673),  foaled  in  1866,  bred  by  James  N. 
Fleming  of  the  county  of  Ayr  and  later  owned  by  several  differ- 
ent persons,  was  one  of  the  two  greatest  Clydesdales  in  recent 
history.  He  was  sired  by  General  (322),  whose  sire  was  Sir  Walter 
Scott  (797),  a"  great  show  horse  and  sire,  while  his  dam  was 
Darling,  a  mare  of  unknown  breeding  beyond  one  generation. 
Prince  of  Wales  was  a  dark-brown  horse  with  a  white  stripe  on 
his  face  and  more  or  less  white  on  three  legs.  He  was  some- 
what straight  in  his  hocks  and  a  bit  Roman  nosed,  but  in  general 
was  of  good  form  and  a  remarkable  mover  at  walk  or  trot.  He 
was  not  only  a  great  show  horse  but  was  regarded  as  one  of 
the  greatest  begetters  of  sires  that  the  Clydesdale  breed  has 
produced.  Prince  of  Wales  was  last  owned  by  David  Riddell  of 
Paisley,  who  purchased  him  at  auction  when  eighteen  years  old 
for  $4725  and  in  whose  possession  he  died  in  1888.  Prominent 
among  his  sons  are  Prince  of  Albion,  sold  for  $15,000,  and  his 
full  brother,  Prince  of  Kyle,  sold  for  $8000 ;  Prince  Alexander, 
sold  for  $6000  as  a  yearling ;  and  Prince  Robert. 

Darnley  (222),  a  bay,  foaled  in  1872,  was  bred  by  Sir  William 
Sterling-Maxwell  and  was  purchased  when  three  years  old  by 
David  Riddell,  the  owner  of  Prince  of  Wales.  His  sire  was 


THE  CLYDESDALE  143 

Conqueror  (199),  and  his  dam,  Keir  Peggy  (187),  had  a  fine 
show-yard  record  and  as  a  dam  of  ten  foals  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  greatest  mares  of  the  breed.  Her  sons  Darnley,  Pollock,  and 
Newstead  all  won  first  prizes  at  the  Highland  and  Agricultural 
Society  shows.  She  died  in  1888.  Darnley  himself  up  to  twelve 
years  of  age  had  a  most  distinguished  career  in  the  show  ring. 
If  Prince  of  Wales  was  a  great  stallion  sire,  so  Darnley  was  a 
famous  sire  of  mares.  The  descendants  of  these  two  animals 
mated  unusually  well,  and  from  their  union  has  resulted  much 
that  is  best  in  recent  Clydesdale  blood.  Three  of  Darnley's  best 
sons  were  MacGregor  (1487),  Flash  wood  (3604),  and  Topgallant 
(1850).  These  were  all  great  horses,  but  especially  so  was  Mac- 
Gregor, whose  sons  gained  fame  in  the  show  rings  of  Canada 
and  the  United  States.  As  a  sire  this  animal  is  regarded  as 
second  only  to  his  own  sire  and  Prince  of  Wales. 

Baron's  Pride  (9122),  bred  by  R.  &  J.  Findlay,  Springhill, 
near  Glasgow,  was  foaled  in  1890  and  died  in  1913  at  twenty- 
three  years  of  age.  He  was  sired  by  Sir  Everard  (5353),  a  son  of 
Topgallant  (450),  and  had  for  dam  Forest  Queen  (7233),  by 
Springhill  Darnley  (2429),  a  son  of  Darnley  (222).  Thus  he 
united  the  blood  of  Prince  of  Wales  and  Darnley,  than  which 
there  was  nothing  better.  Up  to  four  years  of  age  he  was  a  suc- 
cessful horse  in  the  show  ring.  In  1894  A.  &  W.  Montgomery 
purchased  him,  and  he  was  from  then  on  reserved  for  the  stud, 
where  he  proved  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  Clydesdale  sires  in 
the  history  of  the  breed. 

Baron  of  Buchlyvie  (11263),  bred  by  William  McKeich,  was 
foaled  in  1900  and  is  the  best-known  son  of  Baron's  Pride.  His 
dam  was  Young  Maybloom  (12003),  by  Knight  Errant  (4483). 
As  a  colt  he  was  said  to  have  been  somewhat  undersized,  and 
in  the  Scotch  shows  he  was  unable  to  win  championship  honors, 
though  securing  first,  second,  and  third  places  at  different  times. 
As  a  two-year-old  he  sold  to  Kilpatrick  and  Dunlop  for  $3500. 
11  The  price  seemed  ample,"  writes  Alexander  Galbraith,1  "as  the 
colt  was  somewhat  undersized,  decidedly  narrow  in  conformation, 
and  lacking  in  muscle  and  strength  of  bone.  His  chief  points  of 
excellence  were  extremely  fine  quality  of  bone  and  hair,  the  latter 

1  Breeders'*  Gazette,  January  10,  1912. 


144 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


hanging  like  silk  from  his  legs  and  hoof  heads.  He  had  also 
beautiful  style  and  action.  As  he  got  older  he  grew  and  improved 
wonderfully,  finishing  a  very  handsome  horse  of  nearly  2000 
pounds."  In  1911  at  the  Highland  show  his  offspring  monopo- 
lized the  winnings.  On  December  14,  1911,  at  public  auction 
to  dissolve  the  partnership  between  Kilpatrick  and  Dunlop, 
he  sold  for  $47,500,  Mr.  Dunlop  being  the  purchaser.  He  has 
been  regarded  as  the  best  advertised  Clydesdale  horse  in  history. 

Dunure  Footprint  (15203)  was  bred  by  William  Dunlop, 
Dunure  Mains,  Ayr,  and  was  foaled  in  1908.  He  was  sired 
by  Baron  of  Buchlyvie  (11263),  dam  Dunure  Ideal  (21283). 
Dunure  Footprint  is  not  only  regarded  as  a  model  of  the  breed 
but  is  also  the  leading  sire  of  his  generation.  He  has  won 
the  highest  honors  of  the  Scotch  shows,  and  his  progeny  are 
sought  for  at  high  figures.  The  following  table  will  show  him 
to  lead  the  ten  best  sires  in  Scotland. 

An  honor  roll  of  Clydesdale  sires  of  more  recent  years  is  given 
by  the  Clydesdale  Horse  Society  of  Great  Britain,  embracing  the  ten 
most  prominent  sires  in  the  1915  shows.  The  record  is  as  follows : 


NAME 

NUMBER 
OF  PRIZES 

FIRST 

SECOND 

THIRD 

CHAMPION- 
SHIP 

TOTAL  NUMBER 
OF  OFFSPRING 

Dunure  Footprint  (15203) 

72 

18 

16 

8 

5 

34 

Baron  of  Buchlyvie  (11263) 

37 

1  1 

10 

7 

2 

21 

Apukwa  (14567) 

37 

7 

6 

7 

6 

II 

Bonnie  Buchlyvie  (14032) 

16 

3 

6 

8 

Baron's  Pride  (9122) 

'3 

3 

3 

3 

*•> 

7 

Everlasting  (11331) 

8 

i 

2 

2 

6 

Hiawatha  (10067) 

7 

4 

I 

5 

Revelanta  (11876) 

7 

i 

I 

4 

Royal  Favorite  (10630) 

7 

I 

6 

Signet  (16816) 

6 

2 

2 

4 

Clydesdales  of  merit  in  America  date  back  to  their  early  impor- 
tation. Of  these  the  following  may  be  mentioned  as  of  special 
distinction  :  Donald  Dinnie  273,  by  Glancer  (339)  ;  Johnny  Cope 
(416),  by  Justice  (420);  Glencoe  158,  by  Prince  of  Wales  487 
(673) ;  MacQueen  3513,  by  MacGregor  (1487) ;  Cedric^zq  (1087), 
by  Prince  of  Wales  487  (673);  Lord  Lyndoch  4113  (4530),  by 
Lord  Blantyne  (2243) ;  Lyndoch  Chief  5642  (8786),  by  Lord 


THE  CLYDESDALE 


145 


Lyndoch  4113  (453O);  Young  MacQueen  8033,  by  MacOueen 
3513  (5200)  ;  Laminated  Steel  8700,  by  Cedric  929  (1087); 
Benedict  9300  (10315),  by  Baron's  Pride  (9122). 

Prices  paid  for  Clydesdales  have  run  into  high  money  in  Scot- 
land, although  in  America  values  are  often  on  a  much  lower 
level.  In  February,  1912,  the  Clydesdale  stud  of  William  Taylor 


FIG.  54.    Fairholm  Footprint  17584,  champion  Clydesdale  stallion  at  the  Inter- 
national Live  Stock  Exposition.    Bred  by  R.  A.  Fairbairn  and  sold  for  $5000  to 
Langwater  Farms,  North  Easton,   Massachusetts.    From  photograph  by  Hilde- 
brand,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Fairbairn 

of  Renfrew,  Scotland,  was  sold  at  auction  in  Glasgow.  Fifty-four 
head  averaged  $657,  and  nineteen  aged  horses  averaged  almost 
$1223.  The  top  price  was  $8400  for  Sir  Rudolph.  On  October  7, 
1915,  in  a  dispersal  sale,  Robert  Brydon,  Seaham  Harbor,  Eng- 
land, sold  one  hundred  head  for  an  average  price  of  $1059.50, 
a  breed  record.  The  stallion  Bonnie  Buchlyvie  (14032)  at  nine 
years  of  age  brought  $26,250.  Phillipine,  a  three-year-old  son  of 
Bonnie  Buchlyvie,  brought  $12,075.  Thirty-four  mares  averaged 


146  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

$784.  At  the  dispersal  sale  of  William  Dunlop,  at  Ayr,  Scotland, 
January  14,  1919,  thirteen  stallions  averaged  $8382,  a  record  not 
equaled  by  any  other  breed.  The  horse  Dunure  Independence, 
by  Baron  of  Buchlyvie,  sold  to  Robert  Bryan  of  Cumnock  for 
$25,725,  the  high  price  of  the  day.  Dunure  Refiner,  by  Dunure 
Footprint,  brought  $18,375.  Dunure  Kaleidescope,  by  Baron  of 
Buchlyvie,  brought  $21,525.  Dunure  Keynote,  full  brother  to 
Dunure  Footprint,  brought  $17,325.  Prince  of  Albion  (6178)  is 
said  to  have  sold  for  $15,000,  and  the  highest  price  ever  paid 


FIG.  55.   Judging  Clydesdales  at  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  Show, 
Glasgow,  Scotland.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

for  a  two-year-old  filly  was  $5000  for  Montrave  Rosea,  by  Prince 
of  Albion.  As  noted  elsewhere,  Baron  of  Buchlyvie  (11263)  s°ld 
in  1911  for  $47,500,  the  highest  price  paid  for  a  draft  horse  to 
1919,  being  equaled,  however,  in  1917  by  the  Belgian  Farceur. 

The  distribution  of  the  Clydesdale  is  very  widespread,  but  it 
has  found  most  favor  in  English-speaking  countries,  notably 
Canada,  Australia,  and  New  Zealand.  Under  normal  conditions 
there  is  a  rather  active  exportation  from  Scotland  to  other  countries. 
In  1913  Alexander  Mowat 1  reported  from  Scotland  that  in  1912 
there  were  1156  Clydesdales  exported  to  Canada,  as  compared 
with  1349  in  1911  ;  57  to  the  United  States  against  97  in  1911  ; 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  January  i,  1913. 


THE  CLYDESDALE  147 

and  32  to  South  Africa  against  25  in  1911,  with  smaller  numbers 
to  Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  America,  Russia,  Sweden,  and 
Hungary,  a  total  of  1318  exported  in  1912  and  of  1617  in  1911. 
In  the  United  States  the  breed  has  not  been  altogether  popular, 
and  there  are  comparatively  few  studs  in  this  country,  some  of  the 
best  being  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts,  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  and  Illinois. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Clydesdales  are  mainly  represented 
by  registry  associations.  The  Clydesdale  Horse  Society  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  was  organized  in  1877  and  published  the  first 
volume  of  its  studbook  in  1878,  since  which  time,  up  to  1917,  it 
has  published  forty  volumes  and  registered  19,591  stallions  and 
44,441  mares.  The  American  Clydesdale  Horse  Association  was 
organized  in  1877  and  up  to  January,  1917,  has  published  twenty 
volumes  of  studbooks,  covering  about  20,000  registrations.  The 
Canadian  Clydesdale  Society  has  published  twenty-six  studbooks 
up  to  1918,  and  far-away  New  Zealand  has  a  Clydesdale  society 
that  published  two  studbooks  up  to  1915  inclusive. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  SHIRE 

The  very  early  history  of  the  Shire  horse  traces  back  into  the 
days  of  Roman  conquest  and  almost  prehistoric  times.  Abun- 
dant evidence  as  set  forth  in  British  history  by  the  earliest 
writers  makes  it  clear  that  a  heavy  type  of  work  horse  existed 
in  those  days.  During  the  period  when  armor  was  worn  it  was 
necessary  that  a  horse  be  of  good  size  and  be  able  easily  to  bear 
heavy  weight  in  the  saddle.  According  to  the  Venerable  Bede, 
however,  the  English  did  not  commonly  use  saddle  horses  until 
about  A.  D.  631.  Neither  was  the  horse  used  for  war  purposes 
in  the  first  thousand  years  of  the  Christian  Era.  In  the  sixteenth 
century  in  England,  when  armor  was  used,  according  to  Tower 
of  London  officials  a  man's  armor  weighed  99*  pounds,  the 
horse's  81  pounds,  and  the  spear  20  —  a  total  of  200  pounds 
approximately.  Adding  to  this  the  weight  of  a  man,  the  horse 
had  to  support  nearly  400  pounds,  so  that  the  necessity  for  a 
heavy  horse  in  these  days  was  very  apparent. 

Various  early  paintings  show  the  draft  type  of  horse  in  use. 
Albert  Diirer,  in  1505,  made  a  painting  of  "The  Great  Horse," 
as  it  was  termed.  Vandyke,  about  1620,  painted  a  picture  show- 
ing the  Duke  of  Arenburg  on  such  a  horse.  A  famous  painting 
by  Paul  Potter  shows  such  a  horse  about  1652. 

The  special  region  of  Shire  horse  breeding  in  England  has  been 
in  the  east-central  part,  in  the  counties  of  Lincoln,  Cambridge, 
Huntingdon,  Northampton,  Leicester,  Nottingham,  Derby,  and 
Norwich.  However,  the  breed  has  been  extensively  produced  on 
the  low-lying  lands  outside  of  this  area.  During  its  past  history  it 
has  been  known  in  England  as  the  "  Great  Horse,"  the  "War 
Horse,"  the  "Cart  Horse,"  the  "Old  English  Black  Horse," 
the  "  Giant  Lincolnshire,"  and  the  "  Shire."  The  name  "  Large 
Black  Old  English  Horse  "  was  in  use  from  the  time  of  Oliver 
Cromwell  (1649-1659)  to  modern  times. 

148 


THE  SHIRE 


149 


The  real  origin  of  the  Shire  is  fairly  speculative.  It  is  known 
that  horses  of  this  large  draft  type  existed  in  England  from 
very  early  times.  We  are  told  that  a  large  draft  type  of  horse 
existed  in  Flanders,  in  Holland,  and  in  Germany  in  the  valley 
of  the  Elbe,  and  that  one  hundred  stallions  were  brought  to 

England  from  these  coun-     , , 

tries  as  early  as  the  twelfth 
century.  These  were  used 
on  the  English  horses  of 
large  type.  Referring  to 
the  great  paintings  of  cattle 
and  sheep  made  by  Paul 
Potter,  who  died  in  Am- 
sterdam, Holland,  in  1654, 
Sir  Walter  Gilbey  says l : 
"It  is  only  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  he  exercised 
equal  care  in  painting 
horses.  The  strain  of 
North  German  and  Flan- 
ders blood  was  at  this  period 
so  strongly  represented  in 
our  English  Great  Horses 
of  the  best  stamp  that  we 
need  not  inquire  whether 
this  horse  was  of  German, 
Flemish, or  English  origin,  FIG.  56.  "The  Great  Horse."  Reproduced 
the  Character  of  all  being  from  a  drawing  of  the  painting  by  Albert  Diirer. 
.  ...  ,,  ,™  It  is  from  this  horse  of  the  sixteenth  century 

practically  the  same.     Thus     that  the  shire  is  supposed  to  have  derived 
no  doubt  the  early  Shire  its  ancestry 

was  of  very  mixed  breeding. 

Robert  Bakewell  improved  the  Shire  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  though  it  was  then  known  as  the 
Leicestershire  Cart  Horse.  Bakewell  was  the  earliest  important 
improver  of  the  English  Shire  horse.  He  went  to  Holland 
and  imported  mares,  using  them  in  systematic  crossing  with 

1  Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  Bart,  The  Great  Horse,  or  the  War  Horse  ;  from  the  time 
of  the  Roman  Invasion  till  its  Development  into  the  Shire  Horse.  London,  1899. 


150 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


English  stallions.  He  pursued  a  careful  course  of  selection  and 
added  to  the  value  of  the  breed.  It  was  during  this  century  that 
this  class  of  horses  came  into  use  for  draft  and  farming  purposes, 
the  coat  of  armor  having  become  obsolete.  With  the  improve- 
ment of  roads  and  the  use  of  coaches  the  draft  horse  came  into 
special  demand.  Gilbey,  in  his  interesting  historical  work  on 
"  The  Great  Horse,"  gives  copies  of  pictures  of  Shire  horses  : 
one,  the  horse  Elephant,  by  an  unknown  artist  about  1792) 


FIG.  57.  Intake  Albert,  champion  Shire  stallion  at  the  show  of  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England,  1904.  From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  American  Agriciilturist 

another,  a  gelding  in  use  by  a  brewery  in  1792,  painted  by 
Garrard ;  and  a  third,  of  two  horses,  Pirate  and  Outlaw,  painted 
in  1810  by  Zeitter.  These  horses  are  all  of  draft  character,  with 
hairy  legs,  mane,  and  tail. 

The  old-fashioned  type  of  Shires  were  large,  coarse,  and  slow. 
They  had  big  heads,  coarse  ears,  and  their  thick  lips  had  long 
hairs  on  them.  The  shoulders  were  heavy,  the  legs  hairy,  and 
the  pasterns  straight.  Their  action  was  sluggish,  but  their  tem- 
perament was  mild.  Excess  of  hair  seemed  a  characteristic,  as 
based  on  some  of  the  pictures  extant.  In  1842  Low  wrote: 


THE  SHIRE  151 

The  modern  English  Black  Horse  retains  the  general  characteristics  of 
the  preexisting  race,  but  greatly  modified.  His  color  is  usually  a  sooty 
black,  with  frequently  a  white  lozenge-shaped  mark  on  the  forehead ;  and 
he  has  very  generally  one  or  more  of  the  feet  and  part  of  the  legs,  and  not 
unfrequently  the  muzzle,  white.  His  body  is  massive,  compact,  and  round; 
his  limbs  are  stout,  his  chest  is  enormously  broad,  and  his  neck  and  back 
are  short.  His  mane  is  thick  and  somewhat  frizzled,  and  his  legs  below 
the  knee  and  hock  are  hairy  down  to  the  heels.  His  whole  aspect  conveys 
the  idea  of  great  physical  power  without  corresponding  action.  The  main 
defects  of  this  conformation  and  temperament  are  his  too  great  bulk  of  body 
and  want  of  action  and  mettle.  For  a  pull  with  a  heavy  weight  he  is  admirable. 

Different  varieties  of  the  Shire  formerly  existed  in  England; 
some  have  said  ^o,  others  three.  In  the  first  "  Shire  Studbook" 
Dr.  Reynolds  groups  the  breed  into  three  varieties  ;  namely : 

(1)  Those  having  the  upper  lip  garnished  with  a  long,  thick  moustache,  con- 
sidered at  one  time  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  Lincolnshire  horse. 

(2)  Horses  having    the    lips,    muzzle,   and  eyelids    destitute   of  the  hair. 
The  skin  in  these  places  is  either  entirely  bald  or  covered  with  exceedingly 
fine  down,  is  almost  invariably  flesh  colored,  and  is  sometimes  marked  with 
small  dark  spots  and  blotches.    These  are  termed  bald  horses  or  bald  faced. 

(3)  Those   having  a  long  tuft  of  '  hair    growing  from  the  front  of    each 
knee,  and  rarer  examples  having  also  a  similar  growth  from  the  hind  part 
of  the  hock,  just  below  its  point.     This  is  quite  different  from  the  ordinary 
hair  on  the  back  of  the  cannons. 

It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  in  the  past  the  horses  in  some 
counties  of  England  have  differed  from  those  of  other  counties. 
However,  modern  effort  on  the  part  of  breeders  has  succeeded 
in  producing  a  more  uniform  type,  in  which  greater  refinement, 
better  bone,  more  action,  and  perhaps  less  hair  are  found. 

The  modern  Shire  horse  is  an  improvement  over  the  horse  of 
fifty  years  ago.  The  features  of  large  size,  hairy  legs,  and  draft 
type  have  been  maintained,  but  the  modern  Shire  has  more 
action  and  life,  possesses  more  quality  and  finish,  and  has  more 
uniformity  of  type  than  had  his  ancestors.  The  English  breeders 
recognized  the  need  of  improvement  of  their  draft  horse  and 
emphasized  quality,  action,  flat  bone,  and  uniformity.  In  recent 
times  this  improvement  has  been  greatly  aided  by  the  Shire  Horse 
Society  and  the  comparisons  possible  through  the  exhibitions  of  this 
society  at  Islington.  The  late  Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  a  constructive 


152 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


breeder  and  horse  student  who  died  in  1916,  was  long  a  leader 
in  the  work  of  improving  the  Shire. 

Importation  of  Shires  to  America  began  many  years  ago,  but 
just  when  the  first  of  this  sort  came  over  cannot  be  absolutely 
stated.  A  horse  named  Tamworth,  possibly  of  this  breed,  was 
brought  from  England  to  London,  Ontario,  Canada,  in  1836. 

In  1 847 another  horse, 
named  King  Alfred, 
was  imported.  In 
1 8  5  3  a  Mr.  Strickland 
brought  a  stallion 
known  as  John  Bull 
from  England  to  Au- 
rora, Illinois,  where  he 
became  well  known. 
Several  others  were 
imported  into  northern 
Illinois  soon  after  this. 
George  E.  Brown,  long 
a  prominent  Shire 
breeder  at  Aurora, 
states  that  as  far  as  he 
has  been  able  to  learn, 
the  earliest  advertise- 
ment of  Shires  by  any 
importer  in  Western 
agricultural  papers  was 
in  1875.  Along  in  the 
eighties  many  stallions 

were  brought  to  America  from  England.  In  recent  years  there 
has  %e,en  but  little  activity  in  importing,  the  leading  importers 
being  in  northern  Illinois. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Shire  that  distinguish  the  breed  and 
which  may  be  considered  of  most  interest  are  the  following :  the 
head  is  large,  with  a  tendency  to  Roman  profile.  The  withers  are 
high,  the  back  strong,  with  wide-sprung  and  deep  ribs,  showing 
a  large  middlepiece.  The  croup  is  comparatively  level  and  wide, 
and  the  quarters  are  powerfully  muscled.  The  legs  are  large,  and 


FIG.  58.  Boro  Blusterer  14187  (31140),  grand-cham- 
pion Shire  stallion  at  the  Panama-Pacific  and 
International  Live-Stock  Expositions,  1915.  From 
photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Truman's 
Pioneer  Stud  Farm,  owners,  Bushnell,  Illinois 


THE  SHIRE  153 

the  bones  tend  to  be  a  bit  coarse.  British  critics  in  the  past  have 
objected  to  round  cannons  and  meaty  bone.  In  recent  years  this 
criticism  has  not  been  warranted.  The  pasterns  have  been  subject 
to  unfavorable  comment  as  being  too  short  and  not  sloping  enough, 
though  this  does  not  apply  so  much  to  modern,  well-bred  Shires. 
The  feet  are  very  large  and  often  shelly  and  tend  to  be  flat  at 
the  heel.  The  back  of  the  cannon  bones,  knees,  and  hocks  have 
long,  flowing,  fine  hair  (frequently  termed  "feather")  on  the  best 
examples  of  the  breed.  Excessive  leg  hair  and  heavy  bone  are 
objected  to  as  evidences  of  sluggishness  and  lack  of  quality,  as 
compared  with  less  hair  and  finer  bone.  The  hairy  legs  of  the 
Shire  have  always  prejudiced  Americans  against  the  breed,  while 
in  England  considerable  adverse  criticism  exists,  as  is  evidenced 
by  the  following  from  C.  W.  Tindall  in  the  Live  Stock  Journal 
of  London  : 

What  I  would  particularly  like  to  call  attention  to,  and  which  for  some  years 
has  been  a  matter  of  great  controversy  and  is  now  one  of  very  serious  im- 
portance, is  the  question  of  hair.  In  my  opinion  we  have  for  a  long  time 
thrown  away  the  substance  for  the  shadow,  and  the  excessive  quantity  of  hair 
that  we  have  in  many  of  our  Shire  horses  is  not  only  a  detriment  to  the 
horses,  but  loss  in  money  value  to  the  breeders.  So  far  as  I  can  make  out, 
none  of  the  users  of  the  Shire  horse  want  it.  I  am  in  London  most  weeks, 
and  I  never  go  through  London  without  seeing  a  number  of  Shire  horses  with 
the  hair  clipped  off  their  legs.  None  of  the  users  in  town  want  it,  and  so  far 
as  I  know,  few  of  the  farmers,  especially  on  strong  land,  want  it.  I  believe 
there  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  Shire  is  the  finest  draft  horse  in  the  world, 
and  in  my  opinion  if  he  could  be  divested  of  hair  he  would  take  possession 
of  all  the  foreign  and  colonial  markets.  .  .  .  From  what  I  could  gather  in  the 
Argentine,  everyone  liked  the  Shire  the  best,  but  they  could  not  stand  the  hair 
on  his  legs ;  hence  the  reason  the  Percheron  has  practically  taken  possession 
of  the  market,  and  from  what  I  can  gather  this  applies  equally  to  Canada, 
Australia  and  other  markets,  and  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  in  the  future  some- 
thing must  be  done  to  remedy  this  defect. 

The  action  of  the  Shire  in  the  past  has  been  a  subject  of  un- 
favorable comment,  it  being  regarded  as  heavy  and  sluggish. 
The  great  weight  of  this  horse  naturally  influences  his  action, 
causing  a  slow  movement.  The  more  modern  type  of  the  Shire, 
however,  has  been  improved  in  this  regard,  although  he  is  yet 
decidedly  inferior  to  the  other  draft  breeds  of  prominence. 


154 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


The  color  of  the  Shire  is  commonly  bay  or  brown,  with  white 
markings  on  the  face  or  forehead  and  on  the  legs  below  the  knee 
or  hock.  There  is  considerable  variation,  however,  in  Shire  color. 
Gray,  black,  chestnut,  or  sorrel  are  not  uncommon,  while  shades 
of  roan  also  prevail  to  a  minor  degree.  A  Shire  of  chestnut 


FIG.  59.  Woodfield  Starlight  16814  (76532),  champion  Shire  mare,  International 

Live  Stock  Exposition,  1918.    Owned  by  Truman's  Pioneer  Stud  Farm,  Bushnell, 

Illinois.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  the  owners 

color  is  regarded  in  England  as  having  a  tendency  to  softness. 
A  bay  or  brown  Shire  with  white  markings  appears  identical  with 
the  Clydesdale,  so  that  when  the  two  breeds  are  in  the  same 
stable  it  is  quite  difficult  if  not  impossible  in  some  cases  to 
distinguish  one  from  the  other. 

The  size  of  the  Shire  exceeds  that  of  any  other  draft  breed 
known  in  America  or  Great  Britain.  In  height  the  mature  stal- 
lion should  stand  close  to  17  hands,  although  the  average  may  be 


THE  SHIRE  155 

about  half  a  hand  less.  The  weight  of  the  Shire  of  real  drafty 
character  ranges  from  1800  to  2000  pounds,  the  latter  figure  not 
being  uncommon.  Discussing  the  subject  of  heavy  weight  of  the 
Shire,  Mr.  J.  G.  Truman,  a  noted  importer  and  authority  on  this 
breed,  states1  that  the  heaviest  horse  he  ever  saw  was  the  Shire 
stallion  Great  Britain  (978),  imported  by  his  father  in  the  early 
eighties.  On  the  docks  at  Boston,  after  a  stormy  passage,  he 
weighed  2775  pounds,  and  two  weeks  later  at  Bushnell,  Illinois, 
weighed  2830  pounds  and  was  not  what  would  be  considered  fat. 
The  heaviest  mare  ever  seen  by  Mr.  Truman  was  Fuschia,  junior 
champion  at  the  Shire  Horse  Society  Show  in  London,  weighing 
in  her  four-year  form  2475  pounds. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Shire  is  frequently  an  excellent  animal, 
showing  more  activity  and  quality  than  prevails  in  the  pure  bred, 
especially  if  one  parent  is  of  lighter  and  more  active  type.  The 
great  size  of  the  Shire  contributes  a  degree  of  substance  highly 
desirable  in  draft  work.  In  1904  a  grade  Shire  of  remarkable 
size  and  quality  was  sold  on  the  Chicago  horse  market  for  $865, 
up  to  that  time  the  highest  price  on  record  in  this  market  for  a 
draft  gelding.  A  combination  of  Shire  and  Clydesdale  blood  is  har- 
monious, producing  a  desirable  crossbred  that  has  long  been  in  use. 

The  special  field  for  the  Shire  is  in  heavy  draft  work  on  com- 
paratively level  roads,  where  slow,  steady  service  is  wanted  and 
action  is  a  minor  consideration.  On  the  level  prairies  of  the  West 
this  horse  would  no  doubt  meet  with  an  encouraging  degree  of 
popularity  were  it  not  for  the  hairy  legs.  At  the  plow  or  in 
hauling  heavy  loads  the  Shire  is  surpassed  by  none,  but  his  hair- 
iness, if  nothing  else,  bars  him  for  place  as  a  favorite.  In  spite  of 
the  British  claim  to  the  contrary,  the  American  farmer  believes 
that  these  hairy  legs  promote  scratches,  and  covered  with  frozen 
mud  they  certainly  are  a  source  of  discomfort. 

The  temperament  of  the  Shire,  as  already  indicated,  is  phleg- 
matic and  quiet.  Without  doubt  the  Shire  is  steady  under  the 
collar  and  easy  to  manage  under  most  conditions.  In  England 
one  will  see  many  of  these  horses  hauling  great  loads  in  the 
cities  and  working  at  heavy  labor  on  the  farms,  giving  every 
evidence  of  patient,  dependable  service. 

1  Breeders'*  Gazette,  April  23,  1913. 


156  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

The  soundness  of  the  Shire  horse  has  been  made  a  subject  of 
special  investigation  in  connection  with  the  annual  show  of  the 
Shire  Horse  Society  in  London.  Between  1893  and  1912,  veteri- 
narians examined  6457  horses  presented  for  show,  rejecting  577, 
or  about  10  per  cent,  the  average  for  twenty  years  being  about 
8  per  cent  a  year.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  of  the  several 
forms  of  unsoundness  33.5  per  cent  was  due  to  sidebones,  9.2 
per  cent  to  spavins,  and  5.9  per  cent  to  ringbones,  while  26  per 
cent  was  due  to  defective  respiration. 

Important  Shire  stallions  of  breeding  fame  in  England  seem 
to  date  back  to  about  1755. 

Packington  Blind  Horse  ^  said  to  have  been  foaled  about  1 760, 
was  recognized  as  a  prepotent  force  in  early  days  in  the  counties 
of  -Leicester  and  Derby. 

Honest  Tom  (1062),  foaled  in  1806  in  Lincolnshire,  was  a 
prominent  sire  in  his  day,  and  his  descendants  proved  his  merit. 
This  horse  at  five  years  of  age  sold  for  300  guineas  ($1500).  He 
was  also  known  as  Old  Tom,  alias  Little  David,  alias  Old  David. 

William  the  Conqueror '(2343)  was  foaled  in  1862  in  Nottingham 
County.  He  was  a  brown  in  color,  a  winner  of  some  prizes  in 
the  show  ring,  and  was  the  sire  of  Prince  William  (3956),  Esquire 
(2774),  and  Staunton  Hero  (2918),  all  noted  stallions. 

Lincolnshire  Lad  77(1365),  foaled  in  1872,  a  gray  in  color, 
was  one  of  the  best-known  modern  sires  of  show-ring  winners. 
He  stood  17  hands  high,  had  an  excess  of  hair,  was  somewhat 
lacking  in  depth  of  body,  but  had  much  ambition  and  courage 
and  proved  a  great  getter  of  superior  stock. 

Bar  None  (2388),  a  bay,  foaled  in  1877,  was  bred  by  Thomas 
Holmes  of  Yorkshire.  He  won  the  Shire  Society  championship 
in  1882.  He  attained  great  success  in  the  stud,  transmitting 
superb  quality  and  high-class  legs. 

Premier  (2646),  a  bay,  foaled  in  1 8 80,  was  bred  by  John  Fisher 
of  Lancashire.  His  sire,  What's  Wanted  (2332),  was  a  well- 
known  show  and  breeding  animal.  Premier  proved  a  quite  suc- 
cessful sire  of  prize-winning  animals  at  the  Shire  Society  Show. 

Harold  (3703),  a  brown,  foaled  in  1881,  bred  in  Derbyshire, 
won  numerous  important  prizes  in  the  show  ring.  He  was  very 
meritorious  as  a  sire,  transmitting  to  his  offspring  size,  excellent 


THE  SHIRE 


'57 


bone,  and  plenty  of  energy.    He  was  sired  by  Lincolnshire  Lad  II 
(1365),  previously  referred  to. 

Prince  William  (3956),  by  William  the  Conqueror  (2343),  had 
for  dam  Lockington  Beauty,  by  Champion  (457).  He  was  foaled 
in  1883  and  died  in  1905,  aged  twenty-two  years.  For  twenty  years 


FIG.  60.  Harfine  Bonsor,  a  fine  type  of  Shire  mare  owned  by  Truman's  Pioneer 
Stud  Farm,  Bushnell,  Illinois.  Photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  owners 

he  stood  at  the  head  of  the  stud  of  Lord  Wantage,  Lockinge  Park. 
In  1 894  fifty-two  animals  sired  by  him  sold  at  an  average  of  $600. 

Hitchin  Conqueror  (4458)  was  foaled  in  1883,  being  sired  by 
William  the  Conqueror  (2343).  His  dam  was  Flower,  by  Honest 
Prince  (1058).  Hitchin  Conqueror  sired  many  fine  prize  winners 
and  superior  breeding  animals. 

Bury  Chief  Victor  (11105),  a  black  with  white  markings,  was 
foaled  in  1889.  He  was  a  horse  of  very  superior  conforma- 
tion, a  great  show  animal  and  prize  winner,  and  a  superior  sire. 


158  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

In  1891  he  was  sold  to  Mr.  Wainwright  for  2500  guineas  ($12,500), 
the  highest  price  for  a  Shire  up  to  that  time. 

Lockinge  Forest  King  (18867),  a  bay,  foaled  in  1899,  was 
bred  by  Lord  Wantage.  He  was  sired  by  Lockinge  Manners 
(16780)  and  out  of  (4470)  The  Forest  Queen,  by  Royal  Albert 
(1885).  The  most  noted  of  recent-day  sires,  many  of  his  sons 
and  grandsons  have  proved  sires  of  great  prepotency  and  value. 

Birds  all  Menestrel  (19337),  a  bay,  foaled  in  1900,  was  bred 
by  Lord  Middleton,  Birdsall  House,  York.  He  was  sired  by 
Menestrel  (14180)  and  out  of  (22925)  Birdsall  Darling.  This 
horse  attained  fame  in  the  show  ring  and  has  proved  a  sire  of 
distinct  merit. 

In  a  study  of  prepotent  Shire-blood  lines  1  Ellis  D.  McFarland 
brings  out  the  fact  that  of  the  2218  Shires  awarded  prizes  at 
the  Shire  Society  Show  at  London  during  twenty  years  ending 
in  1912,  2150  trace  directly  to  common  progenitors,  of  which 
but  ten  are  of  much  importance.  Lincolnshire  Lad  II  has  always 
ranked  first  in  the  list  of  common  progenitors.  From  1883  to 
1899  Matchless  ranked  second,  but  since  that  time  he  has  held 
third  place,  with  William  the  Conqueror  second.  These  are  the 
three  outstanding  sires.  The  number  of  prize  winners  from  1893 
to  1912  tracing  directly  to  famous  sires  are  as  follows  :  1257  trace 
directly  to  Lincolnshire  Lad  II ;  440  to  William  the  Conqueror; 
235  to  Matchless ;  81  to  Bar  None;  63  to  Lincoln  ;  62  to  Royal 
Albert;  45  to  Major;  41  to  Vulcan;  19  to  Heart  of  Oak;  and 
9  to  What 's  Wanted. 

The  distribution  of  the  Shire  horse  is  world-wide.  In  England 
this  is  the  common  draft  breed  and  is  especially  conspicuous  in 
the  low-lying  central  farming  sections  and  in  the  large  cities. 
The  Shire  has  secured  a  foothold  in  most  of  the  English-speaking 
colonies,  and  prior  to  the  World  War  many  were  exported  to 
Australia  and  Canada,  while  Germany  and  Argentina  have  also 
imported  a  considerable  number.  In  the  United  States  the  breed 
is  best  known  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Indiana,  and  Ohio,  its  logical 
field  being  in  the  corn-belt  states. 

The  prices  paid  for  Shires  mount  into  very  high  figures.  In 
1909  the  stallion  Tatton  Dray  King  (23777),  champion  of  the 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  June  n,  1914. 


THE  SHIRE  159 

Shire  Society  Show,  sold  for  3700  guineas,  or  about  $18,500, 
at  the  dispersal  sale  of  horses  of  the  late  Earl  Egerton  of  Tatton, 
Cheshire,  England.  In  this  sale  21  head  sold  for  an  average 
price  of  about  $2325.  The  stallion  Dan  Patch  9856  (28815), 
foaled  in  1905  and  champion  at  the  International  Live  Stock  Ex- 
position in  1910,  was  sold  during  the  show  by  Truman's  Pioneer 
Stud  Farm  of  Illinois,  importers,  for  $10,000.  In  1911  the  mare 
Bellingsborough  Belle  sold  at  auction  in  England  for  $6200, 
the  high  price  for  a  Shire  mare  up  to  that  time.  In  March, 

1913,  the  two-year-old  stallion  Childwick  Champion  (22215)  sold 
at  Lord  Rothschild's  sale  for  $20,664.    At  the  dispersal  sale 
of  the  Tring  Park  stud  in  England  in   1915  the  average  price 
received   for   47   ani- 
mals of  both  sexes  was     ___B_k 

$2822,  the  average  for    •HMhL  J^^L         US. 

32  stallions  and  colts 

being$36i4.  In  1918 

the       five-months-old 

horse     foal     Pendley 

Goalkeeper     sold     in 

England    for    $7000. 

In  Various    sales    held        ^IG'  ^l'   ^ac^n§  aw^rds  on  Shires  at  the  Royal 
T-,      ,       .     .  Show,  England.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

in   England   in    1916 

Shire  stallions  sold  up  to  $15,000,  Norbury  Menestrel  bringing 
this  price  at  the  sale  of  the  late  L.  Solomon.  Many  Shire  mares 
and  fillies  have  sold  at  prices  ranging  from  $750  to  $2000. 

Associations  to  promote  the  Shire  horse  are  comparatively  young. 
The  English  Cart  Horse  Society  was  organized  in  1878,  essen- 
tially to  promote  the  Shire,  and  in  1884  it  changed  its  name  to 
that  of  the  Shire  Horse  Society.  Up  to  January,  1919,  this 
society  had  published  thirty-nine  volumes  of  studbooks  and  had 
registered  126,437  animals.  As  long  ago  as  1898  the  society 
had  2237  members.  The  annual  show  of  the  society  is  the  great- 
est single-breed  horse  show  in  Great  Britain,  some  700  horses 
usually  being  exhibited.  The  Shire  Horse  Society  of  Canada 
published  Volume  I  of  its  studbook  in  1901  and  Volume  III  in 

1914.  The  American  Shire  Association  was  organized  in  1885,  and 
up  to  January,  1919,  has  published  twelve  volumes  of  studbooks. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  SUFFOLK 

The  native  home  of  the  Suffolk  horse,  or  Suffolk  Punch,  as  it 
has  been  known,  is  in  Suffolk  County  in  the  eastern  part  of 
England.  This  county  is  flat  in  character  with  clayey  soil,  is 
generally  cultivated,  borders  on  the  seashore,  and  comprises 
about  fifteen  hundred  square  miles.  This  is  a  thickly  populated 
community,  the  farms  small  and  highly  cultivated.  The  county 
of  Essex,  which  joins  Suffolk  on  the  south,  may  also  be  con- 
sidered to  some  extent  within  the  native  territory  of  this  breed. 

The  early  history  of  the  Suffolk  horse  traces  clearly  back  to 
about  1700.  While  Normandy  horse  stock  has  been  assumed  by 
some  as  playing  an  early  part  in  the  formation  of  the  breed, 
no  positive  information  exists  on  this  point.  In  purity  of  blood  it 
is  believed  that  the  Suffolk  surpasses  any  other  breed  in  Great 
Britain.  The  general  evidence,  as  given  by  various  authorities, 
indicates  that  for  several  centuries  this  horse  has  been  bred  in 
Suffolk  with  much  purity. 

The  pure-bred  Suffolk  foundation  really  dates  back  to  a  horse 
of  unknown  sire,  foaled  in  1768,  known  as  the  "  Crisp  Horse," 
being  owned  by  a  Mr.  Crisp  of  Ufford,  Sussex.  To  this  horse 
are  traced  all  pedigrees  of  the  breed  that  may  be  registered  in 
the  studbook  of  either  England  or  America.  This  history  has 
been  clearly  and  fully  traced  and  stands  accepted  by  breeders 
universally.  The  Crisp  horse  was  a  bright  chestnut  in  color, 
stood  15!-  hands  high,  and  proved  a  remarkable  breeder.  In  the 
development  of  the  Suffolk  since  his  time  four  attempts  have 
been  made  to  introduce  foreign  blood  and  thus  improve  the 
stock.  In  no  case,  however,  has  this  blood  held  its  own,  but 
has  been  completely  absorbed  and  the  breeding  lost. 

The  foreign  blood  used  to  improve  the  Suffolk  was  as  follows  : 

I.  The  Blake  strain.  This  came  from  the  use  of  a  Lincoln- 
shire trotting  horse  with  no  Suffolk  blood,  known  as  Blake's 

160 


THE  SUFFOLK  161 

Farmer.    This  strain  was  in  existence  from   1780  to   1880  and 
at  one  time  was  very  popular. 

2.  The    Wright  strain.    This    originated  from  a   horse   from 
Lincolnshire   known  as  Wright's  Farmer's  Glory,  or  the  Attle- 
boro  horse.    He  was  a  chestnut,  clean-limbed,  and  may  have  been 
a  half-bred  Suffolk.    This  strain  existed  from  1800  to  about  1880. 

3.  The  Shadingfield  strain.    This  came  from  the  produce  of  a 
trotting  horse,  the  son  of  a  Thoroughbred,  and  he  also  was  a 
chestnut.    This  strain  existed  for  about  half  a  century,  the  last 
being  foaled  in  1846. 

4.  Martin  s  Boxer  strain.    This   appeared   to   be   a    Suffolk, 
though  he  was  not,  being  out  of  a  "  black  blood  mare."  This  strain 
never  obtained  any  foothold  bey'ond  two  mares  of  remote  breeding. 

These  strains  were  all  started  to  improve  the  breed,  but  they 
presented  deficiencies  ;  neither  could  they  overcome  the  predom- 
inant Suffolk  blood  and  character. 

The  history  of  the  modern  Suffolk  horse  is  essentially  a  most 
compact  one.  It  deals  with  the  development  of  the  breed  mainly 
in  Suffolk  and  vicinity  by  the  farmers  generally,  and  is  histori- 
cally correct,  largely  due  to  the  far-reaching  investigations  of 
Herman  Biddell,  the  editor  of  the  first  "Suffolk  Studbook." 
Among  the  horses  of  the  last  century  that  had  much  influence 
on  the  development  of  the  breed  are  Edward's  Old  Briton  (490), 
Catlin's  Duke  (296),  Crisp's  Fairhead's  Boxer  (405),  Julian's 
Boxer  (755),  Crisp's  Cupbearer  (1416),  Garret's  Cupbearer  3d 
(566),  and  Foxhall  (1423).  The  latter  was  imported  to  America 
by  Galbraith  Brothers. 

The  history  of  the  Suffolk  horse  in  America  is  rather  restricted, 
these  horses  being  comparatively  unknown  in  the  United  States 
in  the  early  eighties.  In  1882  the  editor  of  the  National  Live 
Stock  Journal  wrote :  "  If  some  of  these  Suffolk  horses  could  be 
imported  and  bred  alongside  of  the  Shire  and  Clydesdale,  it  would 
give  an  opportunity  to  see  what  would  prove  the  best  for  Ameri- 
can purposes."  In  1883  this  same  journal  states  that  Suffolks  are 
finding  great  favor  in  Canada.  However,  Powell  Brothers  of  Penn- 
sylvania imported  the  first  stallions  to  the  United  States  in  1880. 
In  1888  Galbraith  Brothers  of  Janesville,  Wisconsin,  made  their 
first  importation  of  stallions,  and  Peter  Hopley  &  Company  of 


162 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


Lewis,  Iowa,  the  same  year  imported  the  first  mares.  At  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  in  1893  a  few  Suffolks 
were  exhibited,  mainly  by  Peter  Hopley  &  Company,  although 
B.  Ramsey  of  Iowa  and  Mossom  Boyd  &  Company  of  Canada 
also  exhibited.  In  1903  forty-one  head  were  imported  to  America. 


FIG.  62.    Sudbourne  Count  (3257),  a  typical  Suffolk  stallion.    From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  Fred  Smith,  secretary  of  Suffolk  Horse  Society,  England 


At  the  1904  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  an  exhibit  of 
about  a  dozen  Suffolk  stallions  and  mares  was  made  by  Peter 
Hopley  &  Son.  In  recent  years  the  breed  has  been  gaining  in 
favor  in  America,  though  slowly,  and  importations  have  continued 
in  a  small  way. 

Characteristics  of  the  Suffolk  horse.  This  breed  has  long  pos- 
sessed certain  distinctive  features,  quite  marked  in  contrast  with 
other  breeds.  The  following  are  worthy  of  special  consideration  : 


THE  SUFFOLK  163 

The  Suffolk  has  a  tendency  to  small  ears,  the  forehead  is 
broad,  and  the  eyes  are  of  medium  size  and  only  fairly  prominent. 
The  nose  tends  to  Roman  form,  which  has  been  rather  character- 
istic of  the  breed.  The  jaws  are  strong  and  the  cheeks  deep  and 
full.  The  neck  has  something  of  an  arch, —  in  fact,  with  stallions 
this  is  very  pronounced, —  with  not  too  much  heaviness  at  the 
crest.  The  neck  sometimes  joins  the  head  a  bit  heavily,  but  at 
the  shoulders  it  is,  as  a  rule,  well  placed.  The  shoulder  should 
be "  long  but  not  extremely  oblique.  A  race-horse  placing  of 
shoulder  is  not  desired  among  Suffolk  breeders,  a  straighter 
shoulder  being  better  suited  to  draft  work.  The  body  of  this 
breed  is  one  of  its  notable  features.  It  has  long  been  character- 
ized by  great  depth  and  circumference,  considering  the  size  of 
the  horse.  The  ribs  have  an  unusual  spring  and  depth,  thus 
giving  the  body  a  very  round,  full  form.  Formerly  this  was 
unnecessarily  deep  and  round,  giving  the  body  a  paunchiness 
from  which  the  term  "  Punch  "  was  evolved  and  given  as  a  part 
of  the  breed  name.  Modern  breeders  object  to  heaviness  of  belly. 
For  size  the  body  girths  unusually  well.  A  girth  of  about  eight 
feet  back  of  the  shoulders  is  commended.  The  croup  is  full 
and  well  carried  out,  the  tendency  to  steepness  being  slight. 

Strong  quarters  and  hocks  are  a  feature  of  the  breed,  but  there 
has  been  some  criticism  of  the  hocks.  One  family,  Catlin's 
Boxer  299,  has  had  this  feature  of  bent  hind  legs  and  weak 
hocks,  and  Crisp's  Conqueror  413  and  Cupbearer  416,  famous 
sires  as  they  were,  had  a  tendency  to  this  trouble.  The  legs  of 
the  Suffolk  are  very  free  from  superfluous  hair,  and  while  they 
have  been  criticized  as  lacking  in  bone,  the  breeders  insist  that 
this  is  not  so.  If  fairly  compared  with  the  long-haired  breeds, 
they  maintain  that  plenty  of  bone  will  be  manifest.  Yet  the  bone 
is  not  large,  but  of  superior  texture.  A  girth  of  iol  inches  below 
the  knee  is  given  by  Mr.  Biddell  as  ample,  more  being  thought 
unnecessary.  The  feet  have  been  criticized  much  in  the  past. 
The  middle  of  the  last  century  it  was  claimed  that  the  feet  were 
flat  and  the  hoofs  brittle  and  that  sidebones  were  common.  Now 
for  years,  however,  by  the  rules  of  the  Suffolk  Society,  all  horses 
shown  must  be  submitted  to  a  veterinarian's  examination,  which 
has  resulted  in  a  great  improvement. 


1 64 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


In  1893  Professor  Robert  Wallace,  the  Scotch  authority, 
stated  that  "  at  one  time  they  were  flat-footed  and  liable  to 
become  lame  if  worked  regularly  on  the  hard  road  or  on  stone 
pavements,  but  the  care  bestowed  upon  breeding  has  in  recent 
years  eliminated  this  defect  among  animals  of  the  first  rank." 
As  seen  by  the  author,  the  feet  tend  to  be  somewhat  small  and 
lacking  in  fullness  at  the  top  of  the  hoof.  The  quality  and  action 
of  the  Suffolk  rank  well.  The  breed  cannot  be  classed  as  coarse, 
while  in  action  it  stands  next  to  the  Clydesdale  among  draft 

horses.  Wallace  states 
that  they  twist  their 
legs  and  feet  when 
moving,  but  this  does 
not  apply  to-day  as 
much  as  it  may  have 
formerly.  The  Jieigkt 
ranges  from  16  to  17 
hands,  though  16  to 
1 61  is  more  common. 
In  fact,  this  breed 
should  be  short  of  leg 
and  close  to  the 
ground,  though  the 
Suffolks  the  author 
has  seen  in  this  coun- 
try have  shown  con- 
siderable height  and  weight.  The  weight  should  not  run  high, 
1800  to  1900  pounds  being  ample.  Greater  weights  than  this 
are  attained,  but  they  are  not  typical ;  for  example,  Galbraith 
gives  1800  to  2 200  pounds,  but  this  brings  him  up  to  a  horse 
of  large  size  among  the  draft  breeds,  a  thing  never  claimed  by 
Suffolk  breeders.  The  Suffolk  should  not  be  as  large  as  Clydes- 
dale or  Shire  and  is  not  bred  for  the  heavy  draft  work  of  the 
city,  but  for  farm  purposes,  where  less  weight  is  required.  This 
is  generally  conceded  by  advocates  of  the  breed. 

The  color  of  the  Suffolk  horse  is  one  of  its  most  characteristic 
features,  always  being  chestnut  and  varying  only  from  light  to 
dark.  The  statement  has  been  made  that  in  an  investigation  of 


FIG.  63.    An  American-bred  Suffolk  mare.    From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  F.  S.  Peer 


THE  SUFFOLK  165 

the  color  of  the  Suffolk,  twelve  thousand  matings  were,  examined 
and  every  foal  found  to  be  of  a  chestnut  color.  Biddell  allows 
for  seven  shades  of  chestnut,  ranging  from  a  dark  hue  (compa- 
rable to  liver  color  or  burnt  chestnut)  to  a  "  bright "  one,  this  lat- 
ter being  the  most  common  and  popular  of  all.  A  light,  mealy 
chestnut  is  very  unpopular,  as  indicating  weak  constitution,  soft 
legs,  and  slow  temperament.  A  few  white  hairs  in  the  body 
color  may  be  permitted  but  are  not  desirable.  White  marks,  such 
as  a  star  in  the  forehead,  a  strip  or  blaze  on  the  face,  or  white 
pasterns  or  ankles,  are  admissible.  In  fact  "  white  stockings " 
sometimes  occur,  coming  as  high  as  the  top  of  the  cannon  bone. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  the  manes  and  tails  to  be  of  a  lighter 
shade  than  the  body  color,  an  inheritance  from  the  earlier  days 
when  flaxen  manes  and  tails  were  common. 

The  fecundity  and  longevity  of  Suffolks  is  highly  attested. 
Numerous  cases  are  given  to  show  that  the  breed  is  very  prolific 
and  tenacious  of  life.  The  dam  of  Webb's  Rising  Star  (1266) 
was  twenty-two  years  old  when  he  was  foaled,  and  the  dam  of 
Loft's  Cupbearer  (842)  had  sixteen  foals  in  sixteen  years.  A 
mare  and  foal  were  shown  at  one  of  the  early  Suffolk  Agricultural 
Association  shows,  the  mare  being  thirty-seven  years  of  age  when 
the  foal  was  dropped.  In  1917  the  Mark  Lane  Express  reported 
that  Mr.  Alfred  Preston's  mare  Gladys,  then  thirty  years  old, 
was  in  active  daily  farm  work  and  had  raised  fourteen  foals. 
The  great  stallion  Julian  Boxer  (755)  traveled  at  least  twenty-five 
seasons  and  left  a  large  number  of  superior  sons  and  daughters. 
Instances  have  been  known  where  stallions  have  traveled  from 
sixteen  to  twenty-one  consecutive  years,  rendering  breeding  service 
each  season. 

The  grade  or  crossbred  Suffolk  horse  is  not  as  yet  common 
in  America,  while  in  England  the  breed  is  kept  pure.  Alexander 
Galbraith  states  that  the  grades  from  native  American  mares 
have  good  size  and  bone,  while  they  are  particularly  smooth 
built  and  are  almost  invariably  chestnut  in  color.  According  to 
official  authority1  in  the  South,  grade  Suffolks  have  given  such 
satisfaction  as  to  cause  a  rapid  increase  in  their  use.  One  breeder 

1  The  Suffolk  Horse.  A  pamphlet  by  the  American  Suffolk  Horse  Association, 
1917. 


1 66 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


in  Texas  says  that  grades  bred  under  range  conditions  have  proved 
superior  to  all  others.  In  Minnesota  grade  Suffolks  outsold  the 
grades  sired  by  horses  of  two  other  breeds. 

The  Suffolk  as  a  draft  horse  ranks  high  among  the  farmers  of 
eastern  England.  It  is  considered  capable  of  doing  a  maximum 
amount  of  labor  on  a  less  amount  of  feed  and  for  longer  periods 
than  other  drafters.  This  is  the  opinion  of  the  people  of  Suffolk, 
however.  Its  steadiness  and  persistence  at  pull  have  long  made 


FIG.  64.  A  great  six-horse  hitch  of  Suffolks.   From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 
Fred  Smith,  secretary  of  Suffolk  Horse  Society,  Woodbridge,  England 

the  breed  famous,  but  this  same  characteristic  is  probably  equally 
well  established  with  other  breeds.  During  the  World  War  the 
Suffolk  horses  used  in  the  British  army  in  France  showed  great 
endurance  and  made  a  most  favorable  impression. 

The  distribution  of  Suffolk  horses  is  extremely  widespread,  in 
fact  more  so  than  is  commonly  supposed.  They  have  been  exported 
to  Argentina,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  Spain,  France,  Austria, 
Germany,  Sweden,  Russia,  South  Africa,  and  the  Nile  region  of 
Africa.  In  Canada  and  the  United  States  they  have  no  great 
foothold,  but  are  scattered  over  these  countries  in  a  small  way. 


THE  SUFFOLK  167 

In  this  country  up  to  this  time  they  have  been  best  known  in 
Iowa,  but  important  studs  have  been  established  in  recent  years 
in  Texas,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  and  Illinois.  Small  studs 
have  also  been  formed  in  other  states,  notably  Massachusetts, 
Washington,  and  Oregon. 

The  promotion  of  the  Suffolk  horse  has  long  been  conducted 
by  the  Suffolk  Horse  Society  in  England,  and  in  1880  this 
organization  published  the  first  studbook  of  the  breed.  Up  to 
January,  1919,  this  association  had  published  twenty-two  volumes. 
The  American  Suffolk  Horse  Association  was  organized  in  1911 
and  up  to  1919  had  published  but  two  volumes  of  its  studbook. 

The  prices  paid  for  Suffolk  horses  have  greatly  strengthened 
in  recent  years,  but  the  demand  for  them  has  been  essentially 
local.  One  thousand  dollars  is  recorded  as  paid  for  mares  in 
1919,  an<j  the  stallion  Freston  Khedive  changed  hands  at  $6250. 
The  Suffolk  mare  Beatrice  was  sold  at  Sudbourne,  England,  for 
$4500,  and  her  foal  brought  $1500. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
PONIES 

What  is  a  pony?  By  common  consent  at  the  present  day  a 
pony  is  regarded  as  a  small  horse  the  height  of  which  does  not 
exceed  14 -I-  hands.  However,  in  discussing  this  subject  Sir  Walter 
Gilbey  states1  that  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  Hackney  Horse 
Society  in  1883  the  dividing  line  between  the  horse  and  pony  in 
England  was  vague  and  undefined.  It  was  then  found  necessary 
to  distinguish  clearly  between  horses  and  ponies,  and  14  hands 
was  made  the  standard.  The  Polo  Pony  Society,  however,  estab- 
lished 14^-  hands  as  the  extreme  height  for  a  polo  pony,  and  this 
also  is  the  maximum  allowed  by  the  American  Shetland  Pony 
Club.  Prior  to  1883,  according  to  Gilbey,  small  horses  in  Great 
Britain  were  indifferently  known  as  galloways,  hobbies,  cobs,  or 
ponies,  irrespective  of  their  height.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
the  Thoroughbred  two  hundred  years  ago  is  said  to  have  had  an 
average  height  of  14  hands,  but  he  has  gradually  increased  in 
stature,  so  that  to-day  his  standard  is  1 5  hands  2^  inches.  Ponies 
vary  in  height  standards,  according  to  breeds  and  classes. 

The  Welsh  pony  has  long  been  bred  in  Wales,  where  for  hun- 
dreds of  years  it  has  been  used  among  the  mountains  of  that 
country.  It  is  said  that  these  ponies  were  much  improved  early 
in  the  eighteenth  century  by  crossing  with  a  small  race  horse 
called  Merlin.  They  have  also  been  somewhat  improved  by  the 
use  of  Arab  blood.  Considerable  variation  occurs  among  Welsh 
ponies  in  size  and  also  in  type.  These  variations  have  been 
recognized  by  the  Welsh  Pony  and  Cob  Society  of  Great  Britain 
by  classifying  them  for  show  and  registration  in  four  sections, 
At  By  C,  and  D,  as  follows  : 

A.  Welsh  mountain  pony .  Parti.  Height  not  to  exceed  1 2  hands.  Color 
of  any  sort.  In  type  this  resembles  a  small  Arabian  or  Thoroughbred,  pos- 
sessing much  the  same  character  and  carriage  of  head,  rump,  and  tail.  It  is 

1  Thoroughbred  and  Other  Ponies.    London,  1904. 
1 68 


PONIES 


169 


found  in  the  more  hilly  sections  and  has  great  bone  and  superior  muscle  and 
endurance.  No  doubt  it  was  originally  improved  by  Arab  and  Thoroughbred 
stallions.  Part  II.  Height  not  to  exceed  12!  hands,  and  to  be  more  cobby  in 
appearance  than  ponies  in  Part  I. 

B.  Should  range  from  12-^  to  13^  hands,  is  of  the  cobby  type,  and  is  not 
as  well  adapted  to  mountain  lands  as  the  preceding.    In  harness  both  classes 
A  and  B  make  a  very  showy  appearance. 

C.  Should  range  from  1 3 ^  to  1 4^  hands.    This  comes  into  the  cob  class,  a 
blockier  sort  than  A  and  B. 

D.  There  is  no  height  limit  in  this  class,  but  these  ponies  are  suited  to 
mounted  infantry  or  cavalry  service.    Ponies  of  classes  B  and  C  are  freely  used 
in  Wales,  where,  attached  to  really 

heavy  carts,  they  trot  across  country 
at  remarkable  speed. 

"A  typical  Welsh  pony," 
says  F.  T.  Barton,1  "should 
have  a  small  clean-cut  head, 
wide  between  the  eyes,  and 
the  muzzle  should  taper  so 
that  it  becomes  free  from 
bluntness.  A  narrow  muzzle 
is  the  correct  type  in  this  and 
every  other  variety  of  pony, 
whilst  the  nostrils  ought  to  be 
large  and  thin  in  their  car- 
tilage." Barton  emphasizes 
a  slender  neck  of  the  Thor- 
oughbred sort  rather  than  a 
short  thick  one,  and  states 

that  "a  short-coupled  strong  back  and  loins,  together  with  long 
and  fine  compact  quarters,  a  deep  girth,  and  fine  shoulders,  are 
features  requisite  to  the  Welsh  pony  or  cob." 

Welsh  ponies  have  been  used  in  America  for  many  years,  but 
are  now  attracting  more  attention  than  ever.  They  possess  more 
style,  action,  and  size  than  the  Shetland  and  are  suited  to  either 
saddle  or  harness.  A  good  specimen  of  the  breed  should  at  least 
show  plenty  of  speed  and  forcible  knee  and  hock  action.  Owing  to 
their  general  activity  and  endurance  they  find  favor  for  polo  playing. 


FIG.  65.  Merlin  Myddfai,  a  typical  Welsh 
pony,  bred  by  John  Jones,  Llandudno, 
Wales.  From  photograph  by  the  author 


1  Ponies  and  All  about  Them,  p.  171.    London,  1911. 


1 70  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

The  Exmoor  pony  has  long  been  known  on  the  moors  of 
southwestern  England  in  West  Somerset  and  North  Devonshire. 
Here,  on  some  twenty  thousand  acres,  these  ponies  have  been 
bred  more  or  less  wild  for  perhaps  centuries.  This  breed  has 
been  classed  as  the  highest  type  of  pony,  closely  resembling  the 
Arab  in  conformation.  Captain  W.  C.  Kerr  describes  the  Exmoor 
in  part  as  follows : 

The  true  Exmoor  pony  is  a  strong,  well-knit,  1 3-to- 1 4-hand  animal  of  the 
dray-horse  sort  in  miniature  type  .  .  . ,  sure-footed,  docile,  generally  bay  in  color, 
and  possessing  an  iron-clad  constitution.  .  .  .  His  salient  points  are  strength 
of  loin,  well-sprung  ribs,  great  breadth  of  chest;  in  fact,  he  is  what  your 
people  would  term  a  "chunky"  little  fellow.  ...  All  are  natural  fencers,  and 
the  way  they  surmount  the  tremendous  banks  is  marvelous.  I  ought  to  men- 
tion that  their  heads  are  very  neat  and  blood-like,  in  some  cases  very  Arab- 
like  ;  they  carry  their  tails  gayly,  have  a  little  silky  hair  about  the  heels,  but, 
like  all  our  ponies,  are  often  faulty  about  the  shoulders. 

These  ponies  commonly  have  a  mealy  color  of  the  muzzle  and 
flanks,  and  their  color  is  dominant,  it  is  claimed,  even  in  the 
crossbreds.  The  standard  colors  are  bay  or  brown,  but  those  of 
dun  color  are  not  infrequent.  A  dark  streak  along  over  the  spine 
is  also  characteristic.  The  Polo  Pony  Studbook  gives  the  height 
as  ranging  from  ill  to  13  hands.  Exmoor  ponies  have  been 
considerably  improved  by  Arab  and  Thoroughbred  blood.  The 
improved  form  meets  with  favor  for  polo  playing,  for  use  with 
children  in  saddle,  and  as  a  harness  pony  for  cart,  phaeton,  or 
other  light  vehicle.  There  are  but  few  Exmoor  ponies  in  America. 

The  Dartmoor  pony  derives  its  name  from  an  extensive  tract 
of  about  two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Cornwall,  in  the 
extreme  southwestern  end  of  England.  Here  ponies  have  been 
bred  and  run  wild  for  many  generations.  They  closely  resemble 
the  Exmoor.  Bay,  brown,  and  black  are  the  more  common  colors, 
though  chestnut  and  gray  occur.  These  ponies  stand  close  to  13 
hands.  They  are  very  hardy  and  are  comparatively  little  known. 
Vero  Shaw  states1  that  it  cannot  be  claimed  for  the  Dartmoor 
that  he  possesses  anything  in  the  way  of  extravagant  action  to 
commend  him  to  the  attention  of  the  public,  nor  is  his  appearance 
so  striking  as  to  extract  expressions  of  admiration  from  strangers. 

1  Charles  Richardson,  The  New  Book  of  the  Horse,  Vol.  II.   London,  1911. 


PONIES 


171 


On  the  other  hand,  it  can  conscientiously  be  argued  in  his  favor 
that. he  is  capable  of  getting  through  an  immense  amount  of  hard 
work,  that  he  is  a  fast  pony  for  his  inches,  and  that  his  consti- 
tution is  as  hard  as  iron. 

The  New  Forest  pony  has  its  native  home  in  the  New  Forest, 
which  embraces  about  145  square  miles  of  fields  and  forests  in 
south-central  England,  in  the  coastal  region.  Here  these  ponies 


FIG.  66.    A  Welsh  pony  mare  and  foal,  of  mountain  type,  owned  by  John  Jones, 
Llandudno,  Wales.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

have  run  wild  for  centuries.  W.  Scarth  Dixon  states1  that  this 
pony  is  a  survival  of  Saxon  times  and  that  when  he  visited 
the  New  Forest  in  1897  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  over 
3000  ponies  in  the  forest,  about  2000  of  which  were  brood  mares. 
These  ponies  have  been  crossed  more  or  less  with  other  breeds, 
notably  the  Thoroughbred,  Arab,  Welsh,  Exmoor,  and  Norwe- 
gian. Very  satisfactory  results  are  said  to  have  been  derived 
from  the  Arab  and  Thoroughbred  cross.  These  ponies  stand  from 

1  The  New  Book  of  the  Horse,  Vol.  I,  p.  314. 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

ill  to  13^  hands  high,  with  12  to  13  the  standard,  and  they 
are  generally  bay  or  brown,  with  tan  muzzle  and  "  a  little  white 
under  the  eyes."  Other  colors  prevail,  however.  There  is  a 
New  Forest  Pony  Association,  which  promotes  the  breed. 

The  Highland  pony  is  native  to  certain  islands  off  the  west 
coast  of  Scotland.  Mr.  W.  Mackenzie 1  of  the  Isle  of  Mull  sepa- 
rates the  Highland  into  three  groups,  as  follows :  First,  those 
of  Barra  and  the  small  islands,  standing  12!  to  13!-  hands,  some- 
what plain  and  large  of  head,  inclined  to  be  straight  of  shoulder, 
and  usually  black,  bay,  or  brown,  with  occasional  duns  and  grays. 
These  are  very  hardy  ponies,  suited  to  poor  feeding  and  exposure. 
Second,  a  high-class  riding  pony  of  the  West  Highlands  and 
Islands,  standing  14  to  14!  hands  high,  black,  brown,  dun,  and 
gray  in  color,  and  showing  a  "  very  strong  cross  of  Arab  blood." 
These  ponies  have  beautiful  heads  and  shoulders,  and  on  poor 
keep  are  especially  suited  to  heavy-saddle  work.  This  line  of 
Highland  ponies  has  largely  run  out.  The  third  class  is  often 
called  the  Garron  pony,  and  is  native  more  especially  to  the 
Central  Highlands  rather  than  the  West,  and  may  attain  a  height 
of  15  hands.  "  It  is  thought  they  were  bred  from  the  original 
small  pony  crossed  with  the  larger  horses  brought  into  the  High- 
lands with  troops  during  the  unsettled  time,  and  now  a  very 
typical  GarrOn  can  be  produced  by  crossing  a  small  Clydesdale 
horse  with  the  West  Highland  pony  mare."  This  is  more  of  a 
small  horse  and  is  better  adapted  to  mountain  farm  work  than  to 
the  saddle. 

The  Connemara  pony  has  its  native  home  in  Connemara,  an 
isolated  locality  on  the  extreme  west  side  of  Ireland.  These 
ponies  stand  about  14  hands  high,  are  usually  bay,  chestnut,  or 
gray  in  color,  and  have  a  somewhat  long  and  deep  body,  oblique 
shoulders,  and  freedom  of  movement.  The  coat  of  hair  is  remark- 
able for  its  length  and  thickness.  A  strong  constitution,  pleasant 
disposition,  and  power  of  endurance  are  noteworthy  characteristics. 
The  Connemara  has  been  used  in  Ireland  and  England  to  some 
extent  in  polo  playing,  to  which  sport  it  seems  well  adapted.  It 
is  said  a  cross  of  Hackney  pony  stallions  on  Connemara  mares 
makes  a  very  smart,  trappy,  fast-moving  harness  pony. 

1  Ponies  and  All  about  Them  (1911),  p.  219. 


PONIES 


173 


Hackney  ponies  are  Hackneys  14 J  or  less  hands  high  with 
the  general  characteristics  of  the  Hackney  horse. 

The  Arab  pony  is  simply  an  Arab  under  14^  hands  high  and 
is  discussed  elsewhere  as  a  separate  breed. 

Indian  ponies,  mustangs,  or  bronchos  are  descendants  of  the 
horses  brought  to  America  by  the  early  Spanish  conquerors. 


FIG.  67.  Dilham  Prime  Minister  (5174).'  At  one  time  the  most  famous  Hackney 
pony  in  America,  noted  as  a  prize  winner  and  a  sire.  Imported  and  owned  by 
the  late  Eben  D.Jordan,  Boston,  Massachusetts.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

Mr.  Jordan 

They  often  possess  much  beauty  of  form  and  high-class  heads 
and  limbs.  They  have  remarkable  endurance  and  are  capable  of 
the  severest  work  under  the  saddle.  They  vary  somewhat  in  type, 
those  owned  by  northern  Indians  not  being  the  equal  in  quality 
and  conformation  of  those  of  the  south.  Those  of  the  Apache 
Indians  are  said  greatly  to  resemble  Exmoor  ponies.  Indian 
ponies  are  of  all  colors,  usually  solid,  though  piebalds  occur. 
They  tend  to  be  ewe-necked,  are  often  deficient  in  quarter,  and 
have  a  remarkable  spirit  which  is  frequently  far  from  amiable. 


174  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Many  of  these  ponies,  with  all  their  good  qualities,  are  most 
uncertain  of  temper  and  may  prove  very  irritating  when  least 
expected.  Curtis  makes  the  mustang  and  Indian  pony  of  dif- 
ferent breeding,  though  they  range  the  same  in  height  (12  to  14 
hands),  weigh  much  the  same  (600  to  850  pounds),  and  have 
much  the  same  color.  The  Indian  pony  is  given  as  more  blocky 
than  the  mustang,  the  cannons  are  wider,  and  the  pasterns 
more  upright. 

The  Polo  pony  is  not  a  breed,  but  represents  a  type  and  size 
suitable  to  be  used  in  playing  polo.  For  this  purpose  anything 
possessing  the  necessary  speed,  activity,  endurance,  and  intelli- 
gence will  do.  The  maximum  height  allowed  by  the  American 
Polo  Association  is  14^  hands.  Small  Thoroughbreds,  Western 
ponies,  and  cross,  or  half-breds,  are  popular. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  SHETLAND  PONY 

The  native  home  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  on  a  group  of  rocky 
islands  about  200  miles  north  of  Scotland.  These  lie  between 
59°  and  61°  north  latitude,  slightly  to  the  east  of  north,  and 
comprise  a  total  of  about  120  islands,  with  a  total  area  of  some 
550  square  miles.  Only  about  twenty-seven  of  these  islands  are 
inhabited.  The  principal  island  is  Mainland,  on  which  is  located 
Lerwick,  the  largest  town  and  port,  with  about  3700  inhabitants. 
Others  of  importance  are  Fetlar,  Bressay,  Fair  Isle,  Yell,  and  Unst. 
These  islands  are  rough  and  barren  as  a  rule  and  are  situated 
in  a  turbulent  sea,  under  unfavorable  climatic  conditions,  where  a 
comparatively  low  temperature  prevails  for  much  of  the  year.  No 
trees  or  brush  of  significance  grow  on  the  islands,  and  what  land 
is  cultivated  lies  in  the  valleys.  On  the  islands  the  ponies  are  fed 
grass  and  hay,  not  often  receiving  any  grain,  and  it  is  said  that 
sometimes  they  are  even  obliged  to  eat  seaweed  on  account  of 
shortage  of  hay. 

The  ancestry  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  of  course  uncertain.  The 
drawings  of  the  prehistoric  horse  in  the  caves  of  France  show 
considerable  resemblance  to  the  Shetland  type,  and  it  is  supposed 
that  they  are  descendants  of  this  prehistoric  form.  How  long  they 
have  been  bred  on  the  islands  is  not  a  matter  of  record,  but  they 
have  been  bred  there  for  centuries.  In  their  early  history  they  are 
doubtless  more  or  less  related  to  the  ponies  of  Iceland  and 
Scandinavia  and  perhaps  Wales  and  Ireland. 

The  type  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  really  that  of  a  small  draft 
horse,  although  many  are  seen  that  are  fine  of  bone  and  slender 
of  body,  more  after  the  trotting-horse  type.  However,  the  ponies 
on  some  of  the  Shetland  Islands  are  of  a  different  type  from  those 
on  others.  In  fact,  it  is  claimed  that  a  different  type  is  found  on 
each  of  the  following  islands :  Mainland,  Unst,  Fetlar,  Fair  Isle, 
and  Bressay.  For  example,  on  Fetlar,  Lady  Nicholson,  a  Scotch 

175 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

breeder,  has  used  Arab  pony  stallions  on  Shetland  mares,  pro- 
ducing a  pony  of  considerable  refinement  about  46  to  48  inches 
high.  These  are  known  in  the  trade  as  Fetlar,  or  Lady  Nicholson 
ponies.  On  Bressay,  Iceland  ponies  have  been  crossed  on  Shet- 
lands.  Visitors  to  the  islands  have  seen  work  horses  weighing 
from  1 200  to  1500  pounds,  some  of  which  have  been  bred  to 


FIG.  68.    A  pony  mare  in  winter  coat  on  one  of  the  Shetland  Islands.    From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  John  Anderson  &  Sons,  Lerwick,  Scotland 

Shetland  stallions.    Bearing  on  the  subject  of  Shetland  type,  the 
following,  by  a  well-known  British  authority,1  is  of  interest : 

•  At  present,  things  are  somewhat  in  a  transition  stage,  which  causes  confu- 
sion in  the  minds  of  some  people  as  to  what  is  the  correct  type.  When  the 
show  career  of  the  Sheltie  first  commenced,  the  best  paying  demand  was 
undoubtedly  for  the  pits,  and  the  aim  was  to  get  the  biggest  possible  bulk  as 
near  the  ground  as  possible,  while  symmetry  and  true  action  had  to  take  a 
secondary  place.  Fortunately  for  the  breed,  however,  the  advent  of  the  foreign 
demand  has  created  a  higher  standard.  Beauty  of  shape  and  smart,  well  carried 
head  counts  for  more  than  it  used  to,  and  true,  close  and  springy  action  is 
deemed  essential.  Occasionally,  however,  when  a  judge  full  of  the  old  tradi- 
tions officiates,  the  prizes  will  go  to  ponies  with  huge  bodies  on  abnormally 
short  legs,  suggestive  of  moles,  and  no  doubt  most  valuable  to  drag  a  hutch  in 
the  low  galleries  of  a  coal  mine,  but  absolutely  unsuited  for  a  child's  saddle 

1  Frank  T.  Barton,  Ponies  and  All  about  Them.    London,  1911. 


THE  SHETLAND  PONY 


177 


pony.  At  the  very  next  show,  perhaps,  the  opposite  type  gets  the  preference, 
which  naturally  creates  confusion  in  the  minds  of  those  who  are  not  fully  con- 
versant with  the  show  history  of  the  breed. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Shetland  pony  are  very  marked  in 
certain  directions.  The  head  of  the  Shetland  should  not  be  too 
fine ;  the  eye  should  be  prominent ;  the  neck  short  and  strong, 
with  some  crest  in  stallions  ;  the  shoulders  strong,  well  laid  in,  and 
not  too  heavy ;  the  breast  prominent  and  full ;  the  body  short  in 
coupling,  wide  on  the  back,  with  considerable  spring  and  depth  of 
rib  ;  the  croup  broad, 
fairly  level,  and  wide, 
with  the  tail  set  high  ; 
the  quarters  full  and 
strong ;  the  legs  short 
and  of  superior  bone, 
though  perhaps  ap- 
pearing heavy ;  and 
the  feet  round,  dark, 
and  of  excellent  bone. 
The  natural  tendency 
is  for  the  Shetland  to 
be  "  cow  hocked," 
thus  giving  an  inferior 
placement  of  the  hind 
legs.  Narrow  chests 
are  also  too  common. 

The  color  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  variable — black,  bay,  and  brown 
being  the  more  common.  Gray,  chestnut,  roan,  and  piebald  (that 
is,  spotted)  are  seen,  the  latter,  in  fact,  being  somewhat  frequent. 

The  coat  of  hair  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  one  of  its  striking 
features.  In  common  with  all  animals  originating  in  a  cold,  moist 
climate,  the  hair  naturally  tends  to  be  thick  and  long.  On  the 
islands,  as  winter  approaches,  this  may  attain  a  length  of  three 
inches  on  the  body,  which  causes  the  pony  to  present  a  very 
rough,  hairy  appearance.  This  furnishes  important  protection  in 
winter,  and  in  spring,  as  it  sheds  off,  the  pony  presents  a  trimmer, 
neater  appearance.  In  America  many  Shetlands  have  rough  coats 
in  winter,  but  the  tendency  is  to  show  less  hair  than  on  the  islands. 


FIG.  69.   A  Shetland  pony,  first  in  class  at  show  of 

the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 


1 78  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

The  forelock,  mane,  and  tail  are  also  very  thick  and  long.  The 
policy  of  breeding  for  more  refinement  is  reducing  the  amount 
of  hair  in  a  considerable  degree. 

The  height  of  the  Shetland  pony  usually  ranges  from  36  to 
44  inches,  but  with  variations  outside  of  this.  Eli  Elliott  of  Iowa, 
who  has  bred  and  imported  many  from  the  islands,  says  :  "  I  never 
saw  in  any  country  what  I  believed  to  be  a  *  right  Shetland '  that 
was  as  much  as  46  inches  high.  As  a  rule  they  are  40  to  43, 
and  some  as  small  as  36  to  38  inches,  and  the  smaller  the  better." 
The  smallest  pony  ever  seen  by  Mr.  Elliott  was  34  inches  high 
and  weighed  under  200  pounds.  Feeding  and  care,  however,  will 
affect  the  height  and  weight.  On  the  prairies  of  the  American 
corn  belt  the  pony  tends  to  increase  in  size  from  generation  to 
generation.  In  the  "American  Shetland  Pony  Studbook  "  a  number 
of  ponies  ranging  from  30  to  36  inches  have  been  registered. 
The  American  Shetland  Pony  Club  in  its  standard  gives  twenty- 
five  out  of  a  hundred  points  to  height.  Ponies  over  four  years 
old  should  be  42  inches  and  under,  and  two  points  are  deducted 
for  every  inch  over  this  up  to  46,  above  which  height  they  are 
disqualified.  Catherine  Sinclair,  in  "  Shetland  and  its  Inhabitants," 
says  that  when  well  fed  the  ponies  will  reach  the  size  of  a  donkey, 
and  in  contrast  notes  that  a  Mr.  Hayes  raised  a  perfectly  formed 
pony  only  20  inches  high.  As  the  Shetland  is  used  to  a  consider- 
able extent  in  coal  mines  in  England  for  hauling  coal  cars,  a  small 
pony  is  preferable  to  a  large  one.  The  weight  of  a  good  specimen 
of  the  breed  may  be  about  350  pounds  for  one  40  inches  high. 

The  improvement  of  the  Shetland  pony  was  begun  in  1873  by 
the  Marquis  of  Londonderry  of  England,  who  then  owned  extensive 
coal  mines.  He  purchased  the  island  of  Noss  and  part  of  Bressay 
and  maintained  studs  there  and  at  Seaham  Harbor,  on  the  north- 
east coast  of  England.  The  work  of  the  Marquis  of  Londonderry 
resulted  in  greatly  improving  the  uniformity  of  type  and  color, 
reducing  size  but  increasing  bone,  without  detriment  to  quality. 
On  the  death  of  the  marquis  some  years  ago  the  entire  stock  of 
Shetlands  owned  by  him  was  sold. 

The  use  of  the  Shetland  pony  in  America  is  essentially  for 
children,  rather  than  as  a  beast  of  burden.  In  Ohio,  where  these 
ponies  are  common,  they  are  frequently  seen  hitched  to  pony  carts, 


THE  SHETLAND  PONY  179 

phaetons,  or  small  surreys,  hauling  two  or  four  persons  over  the 
pavements  with  comparative  ease.  Ponies  for  this  heavier  work 
approximate  forty-five  inches  or  more  in  height.  No  breed  equals 
the  Shetland  for  children.  The  inherent  gentleness  of  these  ponies 
makes  them  safe  to  use  with  the  greatest  freedom.  Even  when 
but  two  years  old,  Shetlands  may  be  used  in  a  moderate  way  in 
the  saddle  by  little  children. 

The  hardy  nature  of  the  Shetland  is  one  of  its  conspicuous 
characteristics.  There  are  many  examples  of  these  little  ponies 
that  have  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age.  An  interesting  example  of  great 
longevity  and  breeding  power  is  shown  in  the  case  of  the  Shetland 
mare  Belle,  owned  on  Woodburn  Farm,  Kentucky,  that  when 
thirty  years  old  dropped  a  living  foal. 

The  value  of  the  Shetland  pony  for  draft  purposes  is  much 
greater  than  most  Americans  realize.  On  the  Shetland  Islands 
he  is  used  for  labor,  especially  in  hauling  peat  for  fuel.  Elliott 
states1  that  the  peat  is  packed  in  "cassies,"  each  one  containing 
not  less  than  sixty  or  seventy  pounds.  Two  of  these  are  slung 
across  the  pony's  back  on  a  kind  of  packsaddle,  a  good  deal  the 
shape  of  a  sawhorse,  being  held  in  position  by  a  breast  collar, 
girth  or  two,  and  breeching.  The  whole  load  weighs  as  much  as  a 
good-sized  man,  and  this  is  often  carried  by  the  pony  for  several 
miles  up  and  down  hills,  across  marshes,  over  stony  and  washed 
paths  and  gullies,  without  a  halt.  He  is  never  used  in  his  native 
home  in  harness,  but  only  to  ride  and  pack  such  things  as  they 
may  wish  to  move.  In  England  these  ponies  have  been  exten- 
sively used  in  coal  mines.  Relative  to  this  work  of  the  Shetland, 
Robert  Brydon  says2  that  it  is  not  overstating  the  case  to  say 
that  on  an  average  these  mine,  or  "  pit,"  ponies,  as  they  are  called, 
will  travel  over  three  thousand  miles  in  the  course  of  a  year 
and  shift  as  many  tons  of  coal.  All  this  work  is  done  in  the  dark 
galleries  of  the  mine,  which  are  scarcely  higher  than  the  pony. 

Notable  Shetland  pony  sires  are  Trinket  101,  Trinket  Jr.  1187, 
Prince  of  Wales  1190,  Bunn's  Trinket  2598,  Chestnut  3572, 
David  Harum  4146,  Grandee  4423,  and  King  Larigo  8778. 
Prince  of  Wales  is  probably  the  greatest  sire  the  breed  has  known 

1  American  Shetland  Club  Book,  Vol.  I,  1893. 

2  Ponies  and  All  about  Them  (1911). 


i8o 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


in  America.  He  proved  very  prepotent,  and  in  1911  at  the 
National  Horse  Show  in  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York,  in 
very  strong  competition,  his  get  made  the  remarkable  showing  of 


FIG.  70.  King  Larigo  8778,  a  champion  Shetland  stallion  at  leading  shows,  a 
noted  sire,  and  the  highest-priced  animal  of  the  breed,  selling  for  $10,000  to 
Hamilton  Farms,  Gladstone,  New  Jersey.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

Hamilton  Farms 

the  following  winnings :  first,  second,  and  third  stud  pony ;  first, 
second,  and  fourth  mare  pony ;  first,  second,  and  third  single- 
harness  pony;  first,  second,  and  third  in  pairs.  From  1893  to 
1901  Prince  of  Wales  was  the  greatest  show  stallion  of  the  breed 
in  this  country,  while  in  recent  years  Grandee  and  King  Larigo 
have  attracted  much  attention  as  show  animals  and  sires. 


THE  SHETLAND  PONY  181 

The  prices  paid  for  Shetland  ponies  as  a  rule  are  very  modest, 
although  extremely  high  figures  have  been  paid.  One  of  the 
notable  sales  in  Scotland  is  that  at  Earlshall  in  the  East  Neuk 
of  Fife.  In  1912  there  were  sold  126  head  for  an  average  price 
of  $79,  while  in  1913,  140  averaged  $73.  In  the  1913  sale  a 
prominent  breeder,  R.  W.  R.  McKenzie  of  Earlshall,  sold  25  for 
an  average  of  $90.50,  his  best  mare,  Duenna,  bringing  $220.50. 
At  the  same  sale  C.  M.  Douglass  sold  27  head  for  the  average 
of  $74.50.  At  a  sale  of  George  Heyl  of  Illinois  in  1912,  the  top 
price  for  mares  was  $365  for  the  show  mare  Harum  Sparkle, 
while  a  number  of  choice  mares  sold  for  $200  each.  Choice 
stallions  have  sold  for  from  $50.0  to  $10,000,  the  latter  price 
being  paid  in  1917  to  George  A.  Heyl  for  King  Larigo  by 
J.  C.  Brady  of  New  Jersey.  As  a  rule,  whether  for  the  stud  or 
show,  the  smaller  type  of  ponies  command  the  highest  prices. 

The  distribution  of  the  Shetland  pony  outside  of  the  islands  of 
its  nativity  is  largely  confined  to  Scotland,  England,  the  United 
States,  and  Canada.  Large  numbers  have  been  imported  to  the 
United  States.  In  1905  one  importation  of  201  head  was  made, 
and  many  have  been  brought  to  this  country  since.  These  ponies 
are  largely  distributed  in  the  northern  United  States,  with  Ohio, 
Michigan,  Illinois,  and  Iowa  prominent  breeding  sections.  Many 
of  these  ponies  have  been  bred  in  Ohio,  and  in  1913  what  was 
claimed  to  be  the  largest  Shetland  stud  "  in  the  world  "  was  in 
operation  in  Highland  County,  where  275  pure-breds  were  kept. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Shetland  ponies  are  well  established. 
The  headquarters  of  the  Shetland  Pony  Studbook  Society  of 
Great  Britain,  founded  in  1 890,  are  located  at  Aberdeen,  Scotland, 
and  their  society  has  published  a  number  of  studbooks.  The 
American  Shetland  Pony  Club  was  organized  in  1888  and  up  to 
1917  had  published  fifteen  studbooks.  Each  of  these  organiza- 
tions is  actively  engaged  in  promoting  the  breed  and  with  sub- 
stantial success. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  ASS 

The  ancestry  of  the  ass  may  be  traced  to  the  wild  ass  of  Asia 
and  Africa.  The  males  are  usually  termed  "  jacks,"  and  the  females 
"  jennets."  The  following  are  the  important  species  of  the  wild  ass  : 

The  Asiatic  Wild  Ass  or  Kiang  (Equus  hemionus).  It  occurs  in 
Asia,  on  extensive  plains,  from  Syria  through  Persia,  Afghanistan, 
the  Punjab,  and  Tibet  to  the  Chinese  frontier.  The  general  color 
is  reddish  gray,  varying  to  fawn  or  pale  chestnut.  A  dark-brown 
stripe,  sometimes  with  a  white  edge,  extends  along  the  spine  from 
the  back  of  the  head  to  the  tail.  As  with  the  domestic  ass,  the 
ears  are  large,  the  tail  is  covered  with  short  hair  which  increases 
in  length  to  form  a  black  brush,  there  is  an  erect  mane,  and  no 
foretop.  -The  middlepiece  is  short,  and  the  thighs  are  full,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  horse.  There  are  callosities  on  the  fore  legs 
but  none  on  the  hind.  The  height  varies  from  1 1  to  12  hands. 
This  ass  is  remarkable  for  speed  and  endurance.  The  voice  is 
a  shrieking  bray. 

The  Persian  Wild  Ass  (Equus  hemippus)  resembles  the  Asiatic 
ass  in  its  general  conformation,  but  is  larger,  and  suggests  the 
domestic  ass.  It  is  dun  in  color,  with  a  white  underline  and 
brown  dorsal  stripe. 

The  African  Wild  Ass  (Equus  asinus)  is  found  wild  in  Abys- 
sinia, Nubia,  and  northeastern  Africa  between  the  Nile  and  the 
Red  Sea.  It  is  very  similar  to  the  domestic  ass  in  color  and 
markings,  but  has  a  distinct  shoulder  stripe  extending  from  the 
withers  to  the  arm  of  the  fore  leg. 

From  the  wild  ass  various  breeds  of  the  domestic  ass  have 
descended,  ranging  in  size  from  those  no  larger  than  a  New- 
foundland dog  to  that  of  a  draft  horse.  There  are  several  breeds 
of  importance,  from  which  we  in  America  secure  the  jackass,  or 
jack,  for  mating  to  mares,  and  these  will  be  discussed  after  first 
briefly  referring  to  the  domestic  type. 

182 


THE  ASS 


183 


The  characteristics  of  the  domestic  ass  include  several  features 
not  possessed  by  the  horse.  The  female  is  pregnant  fully  twelve 
months,  the  horse  eleven.  The  fore  legs  have  callosities  (chest- 
nuts) while  the  hind  legs  have  none.  The  ears  are  very  large  and 
long,  the  foretop  and  mane  are  usually  very  scanty,  and  the  tail 
has  no  long  hair  excepting  at  its  lower  part,  which  has  a  brush. 
The  body  is  often  covered  with  long  hair,  in  some  cases  showing 
remarkable  length,  while  in  other  cases  it  is  fairly  short.  Hayes 
calls  attention  to  patches  of  thickened  skin,  which  he  terms  the 
"  shell,"  covering  the  croup  and  pelvis  in  the  horse.  In  the 
case  of  the  ass,  this 
skin  extends  all  over 
the  ribs ;  consequently 
this  animal  is  not  as 
sensitive  to  blows  as 
is  the  horse.  The 
body  is  very  compact, 
the  quarters  lacking 
deep  muscling,  while 
the  legs  are  very 
strong  of  bone,  often 
heavy  of  joint,  with 
small,  narrow  feet. 
The  ass  makes  a 
peculiar  noise  called 
a  bray. 

The  Andalusian  jack  is  native  to  Andalusia,  in  southern  Spain, 
where  it  is  an  ancient  breed.  The  color  is  gray,  with  rare  cases 
of  black.  This  breed  has  considerable  size  and  stands  13^-  to  15 
hands  high.  The  bone  is  excellent,  and  the  breed  possesses  much 
substance.  H.  W.  Sessions  refers  to  one  15^  hands  high  having 
a  girth  of  67  inches  with  the  bone  below  the  knee  measuring 
8|  inches  around.  The  head  and  neck  are  said  to  be  very  good. 
This  breed  and  color  have  never  been  popular  in  the  United  States, 
although  well  scattered  over  the  country. 

The  Catalonian  jack  is  a  Spanish  breed  from  Catalonia,  in 
extreme  northeastern  Spain,  a  very  mountainous  region  bordering 
on  France.  This  is  a  black  or  brown  breed  with  light  points, 


FIG.  71.    A  Poitou  jack  with  the  characteristic  coat 

of  hair.   This  was  a  prize  winner  at  the  Paris  Horse 

Show.    From  a  French  photograph 


1 84  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

black  largely  prevailing.  The  coat  of  hair  tends  to  be  thick  and 
short.  This  breed  stands  from  1 4  to  1 5  and  occasionally  1 6  hands 
high.  From  the  standpoint  of  critics  of  this  class  of  animals 
the  Catalonian  possesses  unusual  style,  beauty,  and  action.  The 
head  shows  considerable  character,  and  the  ears  are  rarely  droopy. 
While  the  bone  is  not  so  large  as  the  Andalusian  or  Poitou,  it  is 
very  superior  in  texture  and  free  of  flesh,  so  that  it  is  not  objec- 
tionable. The  Catalonian  is  a  wiry,  tough  type  that  matures 
early  and  has  very  superior  style  and  action.  This  breed  has 
been  largely  used  as  foundation  stock  for  producing  mules  in 
Tennessee,  Kentucky,  and  Missouri,  where  it  is  yet  in  great 
favor.  H.  W.  Sessions  states  that  the  produce  of  these  jacks  from 
1 6  to  17  hands  high,  as  seen  in  Missouri,  Kansas,  and  the  eastern 
United  States,  have  much  weight  and  substance  and  make  the 
best  mules  in  the  world.  They  are  quick,  active,  mature  early, 
and  are  good  sellers. 

The  Majorca  jack  is  a  breed  of  more  recent  introduction  to 
America  from  Majorca,  one  of  the  Balearic  Islands  in  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea  off  the  coast  of  Spain.  This  is  a  large  sort  of  drafty 
type  with  heavy  bone,  averaging  15!  hands  high,  standing  some- 
what higher  than  the  Catalonian.  The  head  and  ears  are  said 
to  be  conspicuously  large,  the  latter  being  longer  than  those  of 
any  other  breed  and  poorly  carried.  There  is  a  lack  of  style  and 
action  with  the  Majorca,  the  tendency  being  toward  sluggishness. 
The  breed  has  not  attained  popularity  in  America,  and  but  few 
have  been  brought  here.  It  has,  however,  met  with  considerable 
favor  in  Spain  for  producing  artillery  mules,  and  many  of  the 
jacks  have  been  exported  to  South  America.  In  its  native  home 
it  has  long  been  bred  with  much  purity. 

The  Maltese  jack  comes  from  the  island  of  Malta  in  the 
Mediterranean  Sea.  This  breed  is  either  black  or  brown  in  color 
and  is  of  the  smaller  type,  frequently  standing  at  13  hands  and 
rarely  exceeding  14!.  The  head  is  of  excellent  form,  with  sharp, 
upright  ears.  The  Maltese  possesses  much  life  and  vigor,  but  is  ob- 
jected to  on  account  of  too  fine  a  bone,  undue  refinement,  and  lack 
of  substance.  A  larger  type  is  in  demand  in  the  American  trade, 
which  restricts  the  importation  of  this  breed.  Maltese  jacks  were 
brought  to  America  as  early  as  1788,  the  pioneers  of  their  kind. 


THE  ASS  185 

The  Poitou  jack  is  a  native  of  France,  where  for  many  centu- 
ries he  has  been  bred,  especially  in  the  province  of  Poitou,  border- 
ing on  the  Bay  of  Biscay.  Here,  in  the  departments  of  Vendee 
and  Deux- Sevres,  the  Poitou  ass  is  bred  in  his  greatest  perfection. 
This  is  the  most  powerful  and  drafty  of  the  several  breeds  of 
asses  and  averages  about  15^-  hands  high,  but  frequently  exceeds 
this  height.  In  general  the  Poitou  may  be  described  as  having 
an  unusually  big  head,  with  large,  long  ears ;  small  mouth  and 
nostrils  ;  thick,  short  neck  ;  broad  chest ;  good-sized,  long  body  ; 
quarters  rather  spare ;  forearm  long  but  not  thick,  but  knees  and 
joints  large ;  hocks  as  big  as  those  of  a  heavy  draft  horse ;  bone 
large,  many  measuring  nine  inches  around  below  the  knee,  but 
legs  very  short  and  superior ;  feet  large.  The  prevailing  color  is 
black  with  light  points.  Grays  occur  occasionally  but  are  not 
regarded  with  favor  and  are  not  eligible  to  registry  in  the  French 
jack  studbook.  Much  is  said  about  the  hairy  development  of  the 
Poitou  jack.  He  is  covered  with  a  profuse  growth  of  long,  silky 
hair,  which  adorns  the  ears,  neck,  and  legs.  The  tail,  which  is 
rather  short,  is  quite  devoid  of  hair  excepting  at  its  lower  part. 
In  his  native  home,  when  in  service,  the  Poitou  jack  is  said  to  be 
a  very  unattractive  beast,  for  he  is  never  groomed  or  trimmed. 
In  Poitou  these  jacks  are  bred  to  a  very  large,  drafty,  powerful 
type  of  mare,  native  to  that  region,  from  which  are  produced  big 
mules  of  the  most  valuable  kind.  Thus  far  jacks  of  this  breed 
have  not  been  brought  to  America  to  any  great  extent,  but  they 
are  generally  regarded  with  favor  wherever  introduced. 

The  American  jack  is  the  result  of  the  amalgamation  of  the 
blood  of  the  different  breeds  brought  to  America  from  Europe 
since  the  days  of  Washington.  Professors  Anderson  and  Hooper 
of  Kentucky  have  contributed  much  valuable  information  relative 
to  the  development  and  characteristics  of  this  breed.1  Especial 
emphasis  is  placed  on  the  early  influences  of  the  Maltese  jack 
Warrior,  owned  by  Henry  Clay,  and  the  Catalonian  jack  Mammoth, 
imported  to  South  Carolina  in  1819  and  soon  after  taken  to 
Kentucky,  where  he  was  used  in  service  for  eight  years.2  The 

1W.  S.  Anderson  and  J.  J.  Hooper,  "American  Jack  Stock  and  Mule  Pro- 
duction," Bulletin  212,  Kentucky  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 
2  American  Breeder,  January  20,  1916. 


1 86 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


sons  of  the  latter  did  much  to  establish  the  breed.  Briefly  stated, 
the  modern  American  jack  stands  about  15-*-  hands  high,  is  deep 
and  roomy  of  body,  comparatively  short  of  leg,  and  shows  plenty 
of  bone  and  substance.  "  A  sixteen-hands  jack  should  approxi- 
mate 30  inches  in  depth  of  chest,  34  inches  in  length  of  foreleg, 
and  should  weigh  1000  to  1150  pounds."  Anderson  and  Hooper 
state  that  it  is  customary  to  refer  first  to  the  head  and  ears  of 


FIG,  72.   Andrew  Jr.  217,  first-prize  two-year-old  American  jack.    From 
photograph  by  the  author 

the  jack  because  of  their  importance.  The  face  line  should  be 
straight  or  slightly  Roman;  the  ears  about  33  inches  from  tip  to 
tip  as  spread  level,  and  carried  alert  under  natural  conditions ; 
the  poll  narrow ;  the  jaw  strong  and  heavily  muscled ;  and  the 
neck  full  and  free  from  any  tendency  to  a  ewe-neck  conformation. 
The  hind  quarters  should  be  long,  level,  and  wide.  The  natural 
tendency  is  to  be  droopy  and  short  of  croup,  rough  in  the  hips, 
light  of  thigh,  and  crooked  in  the  hocks  —  defects  that  should  be 
guarded  against.  The  American  jack  manifests  considerable  style, 
carries  the  head  well,  and  shows  plenty  of  vigor  and  nervous  force. 


THE  ASS  187 

The  color  of  the  jack  has  in  recent  years  been  subject  to  con- 
siderable discussion.  Until  comparatively  recently  black  has  been 
the  standard  color,  with  whitish  or  mealy  shades  on  the  underside 
of  the  body,  between  the  forelegs  and  the  thighs,  and  about  the 
muzzle.  Fancy  animals,  also,  were  often  marked  with  mealy  color 
around  the  eyes  and  under  the  throttle.  The  American  Breeders' 
Association  of  Jacks  and  Jennets  adopted  the  above  for  its  stand- 
ard on  color  requirements.  The  Standard  Jack  and  Jennet  Regis- 
try of  America,  however,  composed  of  a  large  number  of  breeders, 
admits  jacks  of  any  color  to  its  books,  provided  other  requirements 
are  satisfactory.  In  support  of  other  colors  than  black  attention 
is  called  to  the  following  facts.  Jacks  are  generally  used  to  sire 
nonbreeding  animals.  The  market  desires  mules  of  good  con- 
formation and  bone  irrespective  of  color.  The  first  jacks  imported 
to  America  were  gray,  and  maltese.  "  Off  color  "  jacks  produce 
just  as  many  black  offspring  as  some  of  the  black  sires.  It  is 
not  wise  to  destroy  a  good  jack  because  he  happens  to  breed  back 
to  some  former  color,  which  is  sure  to  happen  with  the  mixed 
colors.  It  is  interesting  to  note  in  reference  to  color  that  irregular 
marks  on  the  coat,  such  as  a  "blaze  "  or  "  star"  on  the  head,  or 
"  white  stockings  "  on  the  legs,  while  common  on  the  horse,  are 
rare  with  the  ass.  Hayes  says,1  "  I  believe  I  am  correct  in  saying 
that  the  color  of  the  ass  is  never  of  a  bright  bay,  chestnut,  red 
or  blue  roan,  or  nutmeg  gray.  I  have  seen  mules  of  an  iron-gray 
color,  but  have  not  observed  it  in  the  ass." 

The  height  of  the  jack  will  depend  upon  the  breed  and  degree 
of  maturity.  In  examining  the  records  of  a  number  of  Catalonian 
jacks  in  the  studbooks,  the  average  height  was  15  hands,  while 
a  number  of  Majorcas  averaged  15^-  hands.  Jennets  showed 
about  a  half  hand  less.  Tegetmeier  and  Sutherland  give  the 
height  of  the  Poitou  jack  as  13^  to  15  hands,  and  the  jennets 
at  13  to  14  hands.  In  1877  Richardson  describes  the  Poitou  as 
standing  I3|  to  I4|  hands,  while  Sessions  says  they  rarely  exceed 
14*.  If  the  jack  is  of  good  proportions,  then  I5|  to  16  hands 
is  looked  upon  with  favor  in  the  American  jack,  with  the  females 
standing  about  14^  hands.  Referring  to  this  matter  of  height 
Anderson  and  Hooper  state  that  "  it  is  better  for  a  breeder  to  be 

1  Points  of  the  Horse. 


188 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


able  to  produce  all  his  jacks  15  J  hands,  which  will  sell  at  $500 
when  mature,  rather  than  to  produce  one  I5|-hand  jack  worth 
$1500,  and  ten  from  13^-  to  14  hands,  which  will  average  not 
more  than  $175."  A  jack  15  hands,  with  a  heart  girth  of  64 
inches,  a  cannon  bone  of  8  inches,  and  an  ear  of  32  inches,  is 
worth  $500  to  a  breeder.  The  rules  of  the  American  Breeders' 


,..:,..,, 


FIG.  73.   An  American  jennet,  second  prize  in  class  at  Illinois  State  Fair.    From 
photograph  by  courtesy  of  American  Agricultiirist 

Association  of  Jacks  and  Jennets  allow  1 5  hands  as  the  standard 
for  imported  jacks  and  jennets,  the  produce  of  unrecorded  sire 
or  dam.  Native  jacks,  the  produce  of  unrecorded  sire  or  dam, 
should  stand  15!  hands.  The  Standard  Jack  and  Jennet  Registry 
Association  of  America  requires  jacks  to  be  at  least  14 \  hands 
high  and  jennets  14  hands. 

The  introduction  of  the  jack  to  America  dates  back  to  1788. 
The  king  of  Spain  sent  George  Washington  a  gray  jack  named 


THE  ASS  189 

Royal  Gift  and  two  jennets,  and  General  de  Lafayette  presented 
him  with  an  importation  from  the  island  of  Malta  consisting  of 
a  black  jack  known  as  Knight  of  Malta  and  several  jennets.  In 
1819  the  jack  Mammoth  landed  at  South  Carolina  from  Spain. 
Henry  Clay  of  Kentucky  in  1827  received  from  Malta  a  jennet 
named  Calypso.  Two  years  later  Clay  imported  a  Maltese  jack 
named  Achilles  and  later  several  others,  one  of  which,  named 
Warrior,  became  noted  as  a  sire.  One  of  the  first  imported  jacks 
taken  to  Tennessee  was  imported  about  1840  and  was  taken  to 
Maury  County  by  a  Mr.  Thomas.  About  1867  or  1868  Messrs. 
A.  C.  Franklin  and  Tul  Craig  of  Sumner  County,  Tennessee, 
imported  some  Catalonian  jacks.  About  1882  Mr.  Lyle  of  Ken- 
tucky imported  some  Andalusians  from  near  Seville,  and  the 
same  year  Leonard  Brothers  of  Missouri  made  a  similar  impor- 
tation. Many  importations  from  Spain,  France,  and  the  Balearic 
and  Malta  islands  have  been  brought  to  America  since  1884. 

Noted  jacks  in  America  are  of  record  back  to  the  days  of 
Washington,  as  already  indicated.  The  following  are  a  number 
of  animals  especially  distinguished  as  sires  : 

Warrior,  imported  by  Henry  Clay  of  Kentucky  about  1830, 
proved  extremely  prepotent  and  was  recognized  as  the  best  jack 
of  his  time.  "  So  remarkable  was  his  power  of  transmission,"  says 
Colonel  I.  S.  Irvine  of  Kentucky,1  that  I,  or  any  other  jack  breeder, 
can,  in  a  moment,  tell  if  the  pedigree  of  an  animal  runs  back  to 
imported  Warrior." 

Mammoth  was  imported  from  Catalonia,  Spain,  in  1819  and 
landed  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  He  was  given  this  name 
on  account  of  his  large  size.  He  was  bought  by  J.  I.  Brockett 
of  Mt.  Sterling,  Kentucky,  and  was  used  in  the  stud  for  eight 
years.  His  progeny  fused  especially  well  with  the  Clay  stock 
and  proved  very  valuable.  Many  pedigrees  of  to-day  trace  to 
this  sire. 

Buena  Vista,  a  son  of  Mammoth,  was  bred  by  Henry  Leer 
of  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  and  was  sold  in  1853  for  $3000 
to  Major  Blythe  of  Madison  County,  Kentucky.  Anderson  and 
Hooper  consider  this  as  the  first  great  jack  of  potential  breeding 
value  produced  in  America. 

1  Bulletin  212,  Kentucky  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Governor  Wood  JJ  was  sired  by  Tip  Top  and  was  used  in 
the  stud  of  W.  W.  McElroy  of  Marion  County,  Kentucky.  He 
was  notable  as  a  sire  rather  than  as  an  individual,  his  sons  com- 
manding high  prices. 

Limestone  Mammoth  298  was  sired  by  Superior  Mammoth  1 24 
and  had  for  dam  Lady  Mackin  514.  Limestone  Mammoth  was 
bred  by  L.  M.  Monsees  of  Missouri  and  has  been  regarded  as  one 


FIG.  74.    A  donkey  and  a  load  of  peat  in  the  public  square,  Kildare,  Ireland. 
Height  about  30  inches.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

of  the  greatest  jacks  of  record.  He  was  exhibited  for  ten  years 
without  defeat  and  has  been  a  great  sire.  His  breeding  traces 
back  to  imported  Mammoth  on  the  sire's  side  and  Buena  Vista 
on  the  dam's.  He  stood  I5|  hands  and  weighed  1150  pounds. 
High  prices  for  jacks  prevail  to  an  extent  not  generally  sup- 
posed. In  France  the  Poitou  ass  brings  a  large  figure,  common 
ones  selling  close  up  to  $1000,  and  the  better  class  from  $1500 
to  $2000.  At  a  Paris  exposition  one  is  reported  selling  at  $3200. 
Buena  Vista  was  sold  in  1853  for  $3000.  Paragon  63,  imported 
from  Catalonia  in  1886,  was  sold  for  $2000.  This  same  year 
ail  importation  of  Catalonian  jacks  was  made  to  Tennessee,  from 


THE  ASS  191 

which  Jumbo  45  sold  for  $2000,  Peacock  for  $1500,  Boyd's 
Monarch  for  $1500,  and  the  Douglas  jack  for  $1150.  From 
another  importation  the  jack  King  James  sold  for  $2000.  In 
Kentucky  numerous  jacks  have  sold  at  prices  ranging  from  $1000 
to  $2500.  The  jack  Moro  Castle  sold  for  $5000  to  M.  H.  Mays 
of  Maury  County,  Tennessee,  the  high  price  up  to  1918.  At  a- 
notable  sale  of  L.  M.  Monsees,  Pettis  County,  Missouri,  in  1911, 
the  jack  Bearytone  Mammoth  2466  brought  $3030.  The  first 
five  jacks  in  this  sale  averaged  $1927,  the  first  ten  $1666.  The 
highest-priced  jennet  brought  $1375,  and  five  of  these  females 
averaged  $1006.  At  a  sale  in  1916  by  Monsees  and  Sons  the 
jack  Belle  Boy  of  the  Grand  Champions  10734  sold  for  $3750, 
while  the  jennet  Belle  of  the  Grand  Champions  II  10730  sold 
for  $2600,  the  top  price  for  a  jennet. 

The  distribution  of  jacks  and  jennets  in  America  is  widespread, 
especially  in  the  states  south  of  about  40°  north  latitude, 
Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  Tennessee  being  noted  for  stock  of 
this  kind.  Jacks,  however,  are  being  used  in  increasing  numbers 
in  the  North. 

Associations  for  the  promotion  of  jacks  and  jennets  in  America 
have  their  headquarters  in  Tennessee  and  Kansas  City.  The 
American  Breeders'  Association  of  Jacks  and  Jennets  was 
organized  as-  a  stock  company  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  1888. 
Thirteen  volumes  of  studbooks  have  been  issued  up  to  1917. 
The  office  of  this  association  has  been  in  Tennessee  since  its 
founding.  In  1908  there  was  organized  at  Kansas  City  the  Stand- 
ard Jack  and  Jennet  Registry  of  America.  This  is  now  a  strong 
and  prosperous  association  and  has  published  three  volumes  of 
studbooks  up  to  1919.  Up  to  October  6,  1919,  this  association 
had  recorded  18,215  jacks  and  jennets.  There  is  also  an  associa- 
tion in  France  for  registration  of  the  Poitou  jack. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  MULE 

The  mule  is  a  hybrid,  having  for  sire  a  jackass,  commonly 
termed  a  jack,  and  a  mare  for  dam.  If  a  stallion  be  bred  to  a 
female  ass,  known  as  a  jennet  or  jenny,  the  result  is  the  hybrid 
known  as  a  hinny.  The  latter  cross  has  a  tendency  to  produce  an 
offspring  inferior  to  the  mule  in  size  and  draft  character. 

However,  mules  occupy  a  most  important  place  in  the  economy 
of  farm  work  and  in  many  phases  of  business  requiring  limited 
draft  power.  The  importance  of  this  hybrid  is  shown  in  a  measure, 
when  we  learn  that  according  to  the  estimates  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  on  January  i,  1919,  there  were 
4,925,000  mules  in  this  country. 

The  sterility  of  the  mule  has  always  been  regarded  as  an  abso- 
lute fact,  and  the  word  "  mule,"  as  applied  to  quadruped  or  bird, 
indicates  a  nonbreeder.  However,  a  number  of  cases  have  been 
reported  of  mare  mules  dropping  foals.  Years  ago  the  author 
had  a  photograph  of  a  mare  mule  and  foal  sent  him  by  the  late 
George  A.  Brown  of  Australia,  in  which  the  evidence  as  submitted 
by  him  indicated  this  to  be  a  fertile  mule.  Occasional  statements 
are  made  giving  information  of  mules  that  are  supposed  to  have 
reproduced.  In  an  interesting  study  of  this  subject l  Orren  Lloyd- 
Jones  shows  that  from  a  physiological  point  of  view  reproduction 
with  the  mule  is  impossible,  owing  to  "  a  deep-seated  derangement 
of  the  cell  divisions  which  would,  in  normal,  fertile  animals,  give 
rise  to  the  fully  developed  germ  cells." 

The  sex  of  the  mule  has  a  bearing  on  its  salability.  Mare 
mules  are  preferred  by  buyers,  feeders,  and  dealers  generally, 
and  sell  more  easily  than  horse  mules.  The  females  assume  a 
matured  form  at  an  earlier  age  and  fatten  best  for  the  market. 
The  horse  or  male  mules  have  a  more  angular  and  leggy  form 
and  cannot  be  fattened  so  early  as  the  mares.  One  dealer  in 

1  "  Mules  that  Breed,"  Journal  of  Heredity,  November,  1916,  Vol.  VII,  p.  11. 

192 


THE  MULE 


193 


mules  tells  the  author  that  horse   mules   in  pasture  with  other 
stock  will  worry  them,  when  mares  would  not. 

The  mule  in  history  has  been  known  for  centuries.  No  doubt 
it  has  been  used  extensively  in  Europe  since  long  before  the 
Christian  Era.  In  the  days  of  ancient  Rome  and  Greece  mules 
served  various  purposes.  Homer,  who  wrote  more  than  eight 
hundred  years  B.C.,  and  Varro,  the  best  authority  on  ancient 


mm 
*  ?•  1 1  '** 


FIG.  75.   A  mule  and  foal.    From  a  photograph  sent  the  author  by  the  late 
George  A.  Brown,  Australia 

agriculture,  the  author  of  "  De  Re  Rustica,"  who  wrote  in  the 
first  century  B.C.,  both  refer  to  the  mule  in  their  writings. 

The  geographical  distribution  of  the  mule  is  world-wide.  It  is 
bred  in  the  best  degree  in  Spain,  France,  Italy,  Portugal,  and  the 
United  States  and  South  America.  Great  Britain  has  never 
looked  with  favor  on  the  mule.  Sessions  has  written  as  follows  in 
The  Live  Stock  Journal  (London)  : 

The  mule  line  extends  north  from  the  equator,  and  includes  Africa  and 
Europe  up  to  45  degrees  of  latitude  and  Asia  and  North  America  as  far  as 
35  degrees.  On  the  south  side  of  the  equator  we  can  include  most  of  Africa, 
the  northern  half  of  Australia,  and  South  America  as  far  south  as  35  degrees. 
Within  this  vast  area  hundreds  of  thousands  [he  might  better  have  said  millions] 
of  mules  are  bred  each  year. 


194  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Mule-raising  in  the  United  States  began  in  colonial  times. 
George  Washington  used  a  jack  in  stud  at  Mount  Vernon  for 
mule-breeding,  and  his  mules  sold  for  upwards  of  $200  each. 
The  value  of  the  mule  as  a  draft  animal  was  early  recognized 
by  intelligent  Southerners.  In  1919  the  leading  mule-producing 
states,  based  on  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
estimates,  were  as  follows  :  Texas,  Missouri,  Georgia,  Mississippi, 
Arkansas,  Alabama,  Oklahoma,  Kansas,  Kentucky,  and  Tennes- 
see. Missouri,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee  are  noted  for  their 
superior  class  of  mules  ;  St.  Louis  is  the  most  important  mule 
market  in  the  world. 

The  characteristics  of  the  mule  partake  of  both  sire  and  dam. 
There  is  the  long  ear,  slender  body,  tufted  or  slightly  haired 
tail,  small,  slender  foot,  and  braying  voice  of  the  ass.  These 
features  seem  to  attach  a  peculiar  character  to  this  nonbreeding 
farm  animal.  Mules  vary  greatly  in  size  and  quality,  naturally, 
due  to  their  parentage.  Other  things  being  equal,  a  large  mule 
brings  a  higher  price  in  the  market  than  does  a  small  one.  Mules 
are  sorted  and  classed  for  various  purposes.  The  larger,  heavier 
mules  are  used  in  city  drayage  and  heavy  draft  work  or  in  lumber 
camps.  A  medium  size  is  used  on  farms  and  in  military  service, 
while  the  smaller  grades  find  places  in  mines  and  elsewhere. 

The  weight  of  the  mule  ranges  between  wide  extremes,  for  the 
diminutive  burro  of  the  mountains  and  the  heavy  draft  mule  are 
of  one  great  family.  According  to  government  estimates1  the 
mature  mules  on  farms  in  the  United  States  average  956  pounds, 
the  heaviest  average  weight  (TIIO  pounds)  being  reported  from 
Washington  State,  and  the  lightest  (865  pounds)  from  Mississippi. 
Anderson  and  Hooper2  state  that  a  draft  mule  of  1400  to  1500 
pounds  will  do  the  work  of  a  draft  horse  that  weighs  two  or 
three  hundred,  pounds  more,  and  that  excepting  for  exhibition  or 
advertising  purposes  the  mule  should  not  exceed  1500  pounds. 
Emphasis,  however,  is  placed  on  the  production  of  draft  mules, 
small  ones  not  commanding  a  price  which  pays  for  production.  The 
wise  breeder,  in  the  opinion  of  these  Kentucky  authorities,  will  plan 
to  breed  mules  of  size  and  quality,  averaging  1000  to  1 500  pounds. 

1  Monthly  Crop  Report,  February,  1918. 

2  Bulletin  212,  Kentucky  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  December,  1917. 


THE  MULE  195 

The  market  classes  of  mules  vary  more  or  less,  according  to 
the  region  of  country  where  the  market  is  held.  The  leading 
American  mule  markets  where  classifications  obtain  are  St.  Louis, 
Chicago,  Kansas  City,  Louisville,  and  New  Orleans.  Mr.  R.  C. 
Obrecht  has  given  a  classification1  which  comprises  mining, 
cotton,  sugar,  farm,  and  draft  mules.  Mr.  John  Grant  of  the 
Kansas  City  yards  states2  that  the  principal  classes  of  mules 
known  to  the  market  are  cotton,  lumber,  railroad,  sugar,  farm, 
levee,  city,  and  miners.  The  author  has  arranged  the  following 
classification,  reproduced  here  from  another  publication  of  his,3 
which  will  have  a  fairly  general  application. 

Plantation  mules  represent  a  certain  class  suited  to  farm  work, 
especially  in  the  South.  They  may  be  divided  into  two  subclasses  — 
sugar  and  cotton  mules.  These  are  the  larger,  better-class  mules 
on  the  market.  Sugar  mules  stand  from  16  to  i6-|-  hands  high 
and  weigh  from  1 100  to  1400  pounds.  These  are  breedy  looking, 
show  quality  and  finish,  and  have  strong  bone.  They  especially 
show  refinement  of  head  and  neck.  Cotton  mules  stand  from 
I3-J-  to  15 J  hands  high  and  weigh  900  to  noo  pounds.  They 
are  not  of  such  uniformly  high  quality  as  sugar  mules,  ranging 
from  light  to  medium  in  bone,  though  they  show  smooth  finish. 
They  have  small,  neat  heads  and  attractive  conformation.  Cotton 
mules  are  very  common  in  the  Southwest.  Curtis  says4  "this 
type  of  mule  is  of  still  lighter  build  than  the  surface  mining 
mule.  The  body  is  inclined  to  be  somewhat  rangy,  the  bone 
small,  and  the  body  upstanding.  The  quality  should  be  uniform 
and  of  about  the  same  standard  as  that  possessed  by  the  mining 
mule,  the  difference  being  in  favor  of  the  latter." 

Draft  mules  are  large,  heavy-boned  mules  that  carry  more 
weight  than  any  other  class.  They  are  often  divided  into  two  sub- 
classes, namely,  lumber  and  railroad  mules.  The  draft  class  of 
mule  should  be  large,  the  body  deep  and  closely  coupled,  the 
back  short  and  strong,  the  croup  not  too  drooping,  the  thighs 
and  gaskins  heavily  muscled,  the  bone  heavy,  and  the  feet  large. 

1  Market  Classes  and  Grades  of  Horses  and  Mules,  Bulletin  122,  Illinois  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station,  1908. 

2  National  Stockman  and  Farmer,  October  12,  1905. 

3  Judging  Farm  Animals  (1916),  Fig.  299,  590  pages. 

4  The  Fundamentals  of  Live  Stock  Judging  and  Selection,  1915. 


196  THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 

Mules  for  lumber  camps  stand  as  high  and  weigh  as  heavy  as  this 
class  calls  for,  but  do  not  show  so  much  quality  and  style  as  do 
the  railroad  mules,  which  are  slightly  lighter  than  lumber  mules. 
Mine  mules  are  of  two  kinds,  known  as  pitters  and  surface 
mules,  and  range  from  1 1  to  1 5  *-  hands  high  and  weigh  from 
650  to  1225  pounds.  They  have  deep  compact  bodies,  heavy 
bone,  short  legs,  and  large  feet.  The  smaller  ones  are  used  in 
hauling  trucks  in  the  mines,  and  the  larger  ones  on  the  surface. 


FIG.  76.   A  choice  pair  of  draft  mules  out  of  Percheron  mares.   From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  The  Farmer 

Farm  mules  represent  a  class  lacking  somewhat  in  uniformity. 
They  are  used  for  agricultural  purposes  in  the  central  states. 
Mules  of  this  class  resemble  inferior  plantation  or  draft  mules, 
being  plainer  looking  and  thinner  in  flesh,  though  with  good 
constitution,  bone,  and  feet. 

The  Poitou  mule  is  of  French  breeding,  the  result  of  using  the 
Poitou  ass  on  a  large  type  of  French  mares.  There  are  two  types 
of  these  mules  bred  in  the  Poitou  region,  a  large  and  a  small, 
but  the  larger  type  is  in  greater  demand.  The  finest  and  largest 
cart  mares  are  used  for  this  production,  the  French  farmers 
making  a  business  of  producing  this  grade  of  mule.  Besides  size, 


THE  MULE  197 

Poitou  mules  are  celebrated  for  the  shortness  and  stoutness  of 
their  legs,  with  superior  bone  and  unusually  large  and  finely 
formed  feet. 

The  best  type  of  mule  must  show  the  general  excellent  con- 
formation of  the  horse  in  symmetry  of  form.  The  body  tends 
to  be  more  cylindrical  and  smaller  than  in  the  horse,  but  a 
capacious  body  is  desirable  rather  than  otherwise,  though  paunchi- 
ness  is  objectionable.  The  nearer  the  general  body  conformation 
approaches  that  of  the  superior  draft  horse,  the  more  completely 
will  the  mule  suit  the  demands  of  the  critical  trade.  In  the 
show  ring  those  mules  which  meet  with  marked  favor  possess 
the  horse  form  in  greatest  degree.  Legs  of  superior  quality  are 
fine  and  hard,  the  bone  very  smooth  and  dense,  the  tendons 
prominent,  and  the  muscles  well  developed.  The  feet  of  the 
mule  are  smaller  and  longer  than  those  of  the  horse,  and  the 
arch  of  the  foot  is  greater.  In  general,  the  mule  is  distinguished 
for  superior  feet  and  legs. 

The  temperament  of  the  mule  is  quiet  and  patient,  while  for 
steadiness  under  the  collar  and  hard  pulling  he  has  no  equal  in 
the  equine  world.  However,  the  mule  should  show  an  active 
temperament,  with  sprightly  carriage  and  style.  It  has  been 
common  to  regard  the  mule  as  given  to  kicking,  but  this  is  not 
based  on  fact,  for  mules  are  no  worse  than  horses  in  this  respect. 
Horses  are  more  nervous  and  uncertain  in  temperament  than 
mules  and  are  more  subject  to  fright  and  consequent  runaway. 

The  color  of  the  mule  is  variable,  though  black,  brown,  and 
bay  are  most  common.  Besides  these,  various  shades  of  gray, 
white,  sorrel  or  chestnut,  and  buckskin-yellow  occur.  On  the 
Kansas  City  market  in  recent  years,  according  to  good  authority, 
the  highest-priced  draft  mule,  everything  being  equal,  is  the  steel 
gray,  red  sorrel  ranking  second,  and  black  third. 

The  endurance  of  the  mule  is  remarkable.  It  is  worked  under 
the  severest  conditions  and  shows  great  power  of  resistance  to 
fatigue.  Tegetmeier  quotes  from  a  Texas  correspondent : 

Six  mules,  the  leaders  no  larger  than  ponies,  will  take  6000  to  7000  pounds 
anywhere,  making  fifteen  to  thirty  miles  a  day  according  to  the  state  of  the 
roads,  and  I  have  known  a  team  in  summer  driven  fifty  miles,  with  1000 
pounds  a  head  of  load,  to  reach  water,  and  not  appear  to  suffer. 


198 


THE  HORSE,  ASS,  AND  MULE 


Mules  usually  live  to  a  greater  age  than  horses  and  perform 
their  work  with  regularity  and  on  less  feed,  a  most  important 
point  in  their  favor.  Cases  are  recorded  of  mules  living  to  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  Mr.  J.  L.  Jones  refers  to  one  in  Tennessee  that  at 
thirty  years  of  age  was  doing  effective  service  attached  to  a  reaper. 
Two  Illinois  men  report l  mules  engaged  in  active  draft  work,  in 
one  case  for  thirty-four  years  and  in  the  other  for  thirty-seven  years. 
The  resistance  of  the  mule  to  disease  has  been  a  frequent  sub- 
ject of  discussion.  It  is  commonly  claimed  that  the  mule  is  not 

so  generally  subject  to 
disease  as  the  horse. 
Pomeroy,  in  an  essay 
on  the  mule,  credits 
this  animal  with  free- 
dom from  any  kind  of 
disorder  or  complaint. 
In  an  investigation 
of  "  blind  staggers  " 
among  horses  in  Vir- 
ginia and  North  Caro- 
lina, conducted  under 
the  direction  of  United 
States  Secretary  of 
Agriculture  Coleman, 


' 


FIG.  77.  An  Italian  mule  about  13  hands  high.  From 
a  photograph  taken  in  Italy  by  the  author 


mules  were  found 
quite  exempt  from  this 
disease,  although  they 

are  credited  with  other  maladies.  In  regions  in  the  lower  Missis- 
sippi Valley  infested  with  buffalo  gnats,  Professor  F.  M.  Webster 
reports  the  mule  as  the  animal  most  subject  to  fatality  from 
attacks  of  this  insect.  Southern-bred  mules,  however,  are  far 
less  susceptible  to  the  bites  of  the  gnats  than  those  imported 
from  northern  localities.  While  the  mule  is  not  so  subject  to 
leg  and  foot  diseases  as  is  the  horse,  cases  of  spavin,  ringbone, 
sidebone,  and  other  troubles  do  occur.  Corns  are  rarely  found 
on  the  feet  of  the  mule.  Even  when  affected  with  foot  or  leg 
disease,  without  doubt  this  animal  is,  as  a  rule,  less  disabled 

1  Farmers'  Review,  February  3,  1917. 


THE  MULE  199 

from  work  than  is  the  horse.  The  resistance  of  the  mule  to  dis- 
ease and  its  activity,  sureness  of  foot,  docility,  and  easiness  of 
keep  have  resulted  in  its  rinding  much  favor  in  the  army  service. 

The  mule  as  a  carriage  or  saddle  animal  is  important  in  certain 
sections.  In  the  Southern  states  he  is  thus  used  very  commonly 
by  negroes  and  the  poorer  classes  of  whites.  In  the  Central  West, 
in  states  bordering  the  Ohio  River,  one  occasionally  sees  gentle- 
men driving  mules,  either  singly  or  in  pairs,  in  harness,  attached 
to  carriages,  the  animals  trotting  with  commendable  speed. 

The  prices  paid  for  mules  vary,  naturally,  with  the  quality  and 
character  of  the  animals  offered.  However,  the  average  farm 
price  for  mules  is  greater  than  for  horses.  On  January  i,  1919,  the 
average  farm  price  for  horses  in  the  United  States  was  $98.48, 
while  for  mules  it  was  $135.59.  In  those  markets  where  mules 
are  important  very  high  prices  rule,  and  a  pair  of  heavy,  matched 
mules  of  superior  quality  and  conformation  sell  easily  for  $500  and 
upwards.  The  Poitou  mule  in  France,  rated  the  best  in  Europe, 
sells  at  $200  to  $300  a  head  and  sometimes  fetches  $400.  Large 
numbers  of  mules  change  hands  at  from  $100  to  $150  per  head. 
In  1910  a  pair  of  mules  in  Maury  County,  Tennessee,  weighing 
3150  pounds,  sold  for  $1000  to  go  to  Louisiana.  In  1913 
S.  T.  Harbison  of  Kentucky  sold  a  closely  matched  pair  weigh- 
ing 2850  pounds  for  $1000,  to  go  to  Tennessee.  These  were 
show  mules  of  exceptional  quality  that  had  never  been  beaten  in 
competition. 


PART  II.    CATTLE 
CHAPTER  XXIII 

BEEF  TYPE  OF  CATTLE 

The  general  appearance  of  the  beef  animal  of  correct  type  is 
compact  and  broad  of  back  from  shoulder  points  to  hips ;  it  has 
a  wide,  deep  body,  short  and  somewhat  thick  neck,  wide,  deep, 
full  bosom,  broad,  thick,  fleshy  hind  quarters,  and  is  generally 
broad  and  deep.  Viewed  from  one  side  the  top  and  bottom  lines 
of  body  extend  parallel,  with  the  back  quite  level.  From  front 
or  rear  the  outline  should  be  rather  full  and  broad.  Cattle  of 
this  type  are  commonly  referred  to  as  "blocky,"  indicating  com- 
pactness and  squareness  of  form.  If  the  body  is  inclined  to  be 
long,  it  may  be  termed  "  rangy,"  while  animals  long  of  leg  and 
lacking  in  depth  and  fullness  of  body  may  be  termed  "leggy." 

The  head  should  have  a  broad,  strong  muzzle,  indicating 
superior  grazing  and  feeding  capacity.  The  nostrils,  when  some- 
what prominent  and  large,  with  a  wide  nose,  give  evidence  of 
ample  nasal  capacity  to  supply  the  lungs  with  air.  A  Roman  nose 
occasionally  occurs  with  cattle,  but  it  is  neither  attractive  nor  desir- 
able. The  distance  from  the  muzzle  to  a  point  immediately  between 
the  eyes  is  preferably  short,  with  some  curve,  or  "  dish,"  as  it  is 
termed,  just  below  the  eyes,  which  should  be  wide  apart,  large, 
and  indicate  a  gentle  temperament.  A  quiet  eye  means  an  easy 
feeder,  while  a  nervous,  restless  eye  shows  an  animal  unsatis- 
factory to  handle  and  care  for.  The  forehead,  as  indicating  mental 
capacity,  should  be  broad  and  reasonably  full.  The/#<^  and  cheeks 
in  a  superior  head  are  full  and  deep,  connected  with  a  rather 
broad,  strong  lower  jaw.  If  of  the  horned  type,  the  horns  should 
not  be  coarse  at  the  head,  but  should  show  plenty  of  fine  texture 
and  quality  and  be  graceful  and  of  harmonious  proportions.  An 
abundance  of  rather  long  hair  should  crown  the  poll,  or  top  of 


202  CATTLE 

the  head.  It  is  most  desirable  that  the  ear  should  be  neatly 
attached  to  the  head  and  that  it  should  be  of  superior  quality, 
neatly  pointed,  and  covered  with  silky  hair,  with  long  hair  at 
edges  and  tips. 

The  neck  of  the  beef  animal  tends  to  be  short,  thick,  and  mus- 
cular, of  medium  depth,  and  should  be  neatly  attached  to  the  head 
and  smoothly  blended  with  the  shoulders.  The  bull  at  maturity 
shows  a  neck  of  more  length,  with  heavier  muscles,  some  arch, 
and  a  heavy  coat  of  hair.  The  female  will  have  a  shorter,  lighter 
neck,  with  less  thickness  and  less  depth.  The  steer  should  have 
a  shorter,  thicker,  fuller,  smoother-fleshed  neck  than  the  cow. 
When  in  perfect  pose,  with  head  up,  the  top  line  of  the  neck 
should  be  but  slightly  raised  above  the  height  of  the  withers. 

The  shoulders  should  extend  well  into  the  back,  lying  smoothly 
covered  with  flesh  and  blending  neatly  with  the  body.  A  high  type 
of  shoulder  is  uniformly  covered  with  flesh  from  shoulder  point 
to  top  of  withers.  Rough,  angular  shoulders  unevenly  covered 
are  among  the  most  common  defects  of  cattle.  A  prominent 
shoulder  also  emphasizes  the  development  behind  it. 

The  breast  and  chest  are  most  important.  The  former  should 
be  carried  well  forward  and  be  broad  and  full  in  the  bosom.  As 
one  stands  and  views  a  beef  bull  in  show  form  a  great  breadth 
of  breast  and  strength  of  brisket  meets  the  eye.  Sometimes  the 
breast  and  chest  have  great  depth,  and  the  brisket  comes  within 
fifteen  inches  of  the  level  of  the  foot.  Viewed  from  one  side  it 
may  curve  forward  like  the  prow  of  a  ship.  With  the  cow  con- 
siderable bosom  may  show,  but  not  in  so  great  a  degree  and  with 
less  breadth  and  more  feminine  outline.  The  chest,  which  lies 
between  the  shoulders  and  just  back  of  them,  should  be  full  at 
the  crops,  showing  much  spring  of  rib,  and  also  well  filled  out 
in  the  front  flanks.  The  most  beautiful  front  on  the  beef  animal 
—  no  matter  whether  bull,  cow,  or  steer  —  is  a  smoothly  laid,  well- 
fleshed  shoulder,  with  a  strong  arch  of  rib  behind,  leaving  little 
or  no  depression.  Much  depression  behind  the  shoulders  or  a 
narrow,  contracted  lower  chest  indicates  lack  of  constitution. 

The  front  legs  should  have  a  wide  muscular  attachment  of  arm 
at  the  shoulder,  with  plenty  of  room  from  armpit  to  armpit  below 
the  chest.  Short,  well-placed  legs,  coming  straight  down,  viewed 


BEEF  TYPE  OF  CATTLE 


203 


from  front  or  side,  are  essential.  The  toes  will  point  nearly 
straight  forward  when  the  legs  are  correctly  placed.  Closeness 
of  knees  indicates  a  narrow  chest.  Fine  bone  and  smooth  joints 
point  to  superior  quality.  The  front  shank  bone  of  a  mature  animal 
of  the  beef  class  should  show  refinement  at  its  narrowest  point. 
The  back  of  beef  cattle  carries  an  immense  weight,  supported 
at  fore  and  hind  quarters.  It  should  thus  be  very  strong  and 


FIG.  78.   The  Hereford  bull  March  On  VI  and  the  heifer  Bouquet.    These  show 

beef  form  in  a  pronounced  degree,  especially  as  viewed  in  front.  From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Fanner 

level  to  sustain  this  burden.  As  the  highest-priced  meats  on 
the  carcass  are  found  in  the  back,  it  is  important  that  the  ribs 
be  well  arched,  so  that  a  broad  back  is  provided  to  carry  as  much 
meat  as  possible,  thus  adding  to  the  value  of  the  animal.  Great 
width  is  desirable  from  the  point  of  the  shoulders  to  the  hips, 
and  as  viewed  from  front  or  rear  along  the  back  there  should 
be  much  breadth  covered  uniformly  with  mellow  flesh.  Dimples 
or  tucks  in  the  back,  rough  spots,  and  uneven  patches  of  fat 
detract  from  the  value  of  this  part. 

The   ribs  should  not  only  be  well  sprung  but  be  long  and 
carried  down  to  help  make  a  capacious  body.    This  goes  with  the 


204  CATTLE 

strong  feeder  and  is  also  most  essential  with  the  breeding  female. 
With  bulls  and  steers  a  very  close  coupling  between  the  hips 
and  last  ribs  or  all  the  ribs,  in  fact,  is  desired,  but  with  cows  for 
breeding  purposes  a  greater  length  meets  with  favor.  The  depth 
at  front  and  hind  flank,  with  a  thick,  full  feel  at  the  latter,  are 
associated  with  superior  form  and  condition. 

The  hips  should  be  well  placed,  snugly  laid,  and,  with  finished 
steers,  be  well  covered  with  flesh.  A  wide  hip  in  the  bull  is 
undesirable,  for  such  a  feature  may  be  transmitted  and  be  a  source 
of  danger  to  the  cow  on  birth  of  wide-hipped  offspring.  A  greater 
width  and  more  prominence  of  hip  is  allowable  among  the  cows, 
although  occasionally  one  sees  the  hip  too  wide  and  rough. 

The  rump  of  a  beef  animal,  no  matter  what  the  kind,  should 
be  long  from  hip  to  point  of  body,  of  great  width,  and  com- 
paratively level.  This  not  only  promotes  a  maximum  of  flesh 
production  but  gives  a  more  beautiful  form  and  offers  a  con- 
formation better  suited  to  the  breeding  female  than  does  any  other. 
A  droopy,  peaked  rump  is  a  defective  conformation,  obstructs 
easy  calving,  may  reduce  flesh  capacity,  and  certainly  detracts 
from  beauty  of  form.  With  beef  cattle  in  condition  the  rumps 
are  sometimes  rough  about  the  tail  head  or  at  each  side  of  the 
tail.  Smoothness  and  fullness  here  indicate  better  fleshing  qualities. 

The  hind  quarter,  viewed  from  behind,  should  be  quite  thick, 
coming  down  perpendicularly  on  the  outside  to  where  the  thigh 
naturally  narrows.  On  the  inside  a  thick,  broad  edge,  with  much 
depth  from  tail  head  to  a  full,  well-turned  twist,  should  be  appar- 
ent. From  one  side  the  hind  quarter  will  appear  long  and  broad, 
with  considerable  depth  of  flesh  to  the  rear.  The  whole  will 
appear  thick  and  smoothly  covered  with  flesh. 

The  hocks  and  legs  indicate  the  capacity  for  fleshing  at  the 
hind  end.  If  the  hocks  are  strong,  muscular,  clean,  and  well 
placed,  with  no  special  tendency  to  come  together,  they  will  be 
generally  associated  with  thicker-fleshed  quarters  than  otherwise. 
The  legs  should  stand  squarely  under  the  animal,  so  that  a  plumb 
line  dropped  from  the  point  of  the  thurls  will  bisect  the  hock  and 
the  shank  bone  of  the  leg  below.  Crooked  hocks  are  bad,  showing 
weak  conformation  and  ugly  form.  When  the  hocks  tend  to 
come  together  at  the  points  —  a  very  common  thing  —  the  toes 


BEEF  TYPE  OF  CATTLE 


205 


point  out.  Only  very  rarely  do  the  toes  point  in.  The  necessity 
for  a  graceful  and  straight  position  of  the  hind  leg,  smooth- 
ness of  joint,  shortness  of  leg,  and  fineness  of  bone  is  apparent. 
The  udder  of  the  beef  cow  is  too  frequently  ignored.  It  should 
be  of  good  size  and  shape,  extending  well  up  behind  and  in  front 
along  under  the  body,  with  four  well-placed  teats.  Every  beef 
cow  should  be  able  to  furnish  ample  milk  for  her  calf  for  the 


I 


FIG.  79.    Rear  side  view  of  the  Hereford  bull  Richard  Fairfax  449317,  showing 

extreme  thickness,  depth,  and  superior  beef  type.   From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  Ferguson  Brothers  (the  owners),  Canby,  Minnesota 

first  eight  months  of  lactation.    It  is  not  creditable  to  a  beef  cow 
to  have  an  ill-shaped  udder  or  to  produce  but  little  milk. 

The  quality  of  the  beef  animal  is  shown  in  bone,  skin,  hair,  ears, 
and  horn.  A  coarse  bone,  with  large  rough  joints,  long  legs,  and 
heavy  horns,  indicates  lack  of  quality.  If  the  ears  are  large  and 
coarse,  with  heavy  attachment,  there  is  also  lack  of  quality.  The 
most  signal  evidence  of  quality  is  in  the  hide,  which  should 
always  be  mellow  and  pliable,  and  in  the  hair,  which  should  be 
silky  and  fine.  In  winter  there  are  thick,  fine  hairs  lying  in  great 
profusion  next  to  the  skin,  with  longer  ones  projecting  beyond, 


206  CATTLE 

providing  great  protection  from  rough  weather.  As  one  views 
an  animal  with  very  distinct  evidence  of  quality  in  the  skin, 
there  will  be  a  glisten  and  finish  to  the  coat  and  a  roll  to  the 
hide  which  only  goes  with  good  quality.  Taken  in  the  hands, 
along  over  the  ribs,  the  skin  seems  mellow  and  pliable  to  the 
touch,  being  easily  grasped  and  stretched.  A  very  thin  hide  is 
undesirable,  the  better  sort  having  a  moderate  thickness,  exceed- 
ing that  of  a  dairy  animal. 

The  fleshing  of  beef  cattle  is  very  important.  There  should  be 
uniformity  of  flesh  all  over  the  body,  even  though  it  be  not  a 
fattened  animal.  On  highly  fed  ones,  when  in  good  condition, 
especially  steers,  the  flesh  should  increase  in  thickness,  but  not 
lose  its  uniform  distribution  over  the  frame.  The  palm  of  the 
hand  pressed  along  the  back,  shoulder,  or  side  should  find  no 
evidence  of  irregular  covering,  with  bare  spots  in  one  place  and 
heavy  fleshing  near  by.  Such  condition  indicates  an  undesirable 
type  for  feeding  and  killing. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
THE  SHORTHORN 

The  native  home  of  the  Shorthorn  breed  of  cattle  is  in  north- 
eastern England,  in  the  counties  of  York,  Durham,  and  Northum- 
berland. The  North  Sea  borders  this  section  on  the  east,  with 
the  Cheviot  Hills  of  Scotland  the  boundary  on  the  north.  Wind- 
ing its  way  through  a  beautiful  grazing  country,  the  river  Tees 
forms  the  dividing  line  between  Durham  on  the  north  and  York, 
the  largest  county  in  England,  on  the  south.  Here  in  the  valley 
of  the  Tees  the  Shorthorn  received  its  early  development  and 
improvement,  from  which  it  spread  out  over  the  rest  of  Great 
Britain  and  the  civilized  world.  This  valley  country  has  beautiful 
long  stretches  of  rolling  grasslands  and  fields  of  grain  and  roots, 
but  farther  north  in  Northumberland  and  south  in  York  the  land 
becomes  rougher  and  more  hilly. 

The  origin  of  the  Shorthorn  is  veiled  in  obscurity.  No  doubt 
the  early  invaders  of  England  —  the  Romans,  Normans,  and  others 
-brought  over  cattle  which  crossed  with  the  native  English 
stock.  It  has  been  assumed  that  even  prior  to  1600  cattle  of 
Shorthorn  type  were  bred  on  the  estates  of  the  earls  and  dukes 
of  Northumberland  in  Yorkshire.1  Black,  horned  cattle  prevailed 
more  or  less  in  Yorkshire,  while  farther  south,  in  Lincoln  and 
vicinity,  white,  red,  and  other  colors  prevailed.  Early  in  the  eight- 
eenth century  the  Teeswater  cattle  represented  one  popular  type, 
while  in  southeastern  Yorkshire  another  sort,  known  as  the  Hol- 
derness,  was  developed.  About  the  middle  of  this  same  century 
Michael  Dobinson  and  Sir  William  St.  Quintin  brought  over  bulls 
from  Holland  and  used  these  in  their  herds,  owned  in  Durham 
and  Yorkshire  respectively.  In  1 789  George  Culley  wrote 2 : 

1  The  word  "  shire  "  in  Great  Britain  signifies  county  and  is  often  used  as  a 
part  of  the  county  name  ;  as,  for  example,  "  Yorkshire." 

2  Observations  on  Live  Stock.  Dublin,  1789. 

207 


208 


CATTLE 


I  remember  a  gentleman  of  the  county  of  Durham  (a  Mr.  Michael  Dobin- 
son),  who  went  in  the  early  part  of  his  life  into  Holland,  in  order  to  buy  bulls ; 
and  those  he  brought  over,  I  have  been  told,  did  much  service  in  improving 
the  breed ;  and  this  Mr.  Dobinson,  and  neighbors  even  in  my  day,  were  noted 
for  having  the  best  breeds  of  Shorthorned  cattle. 

Following  these  importations  of  Dobinson  and  St.  Quintin, 
came  others  of  more  inferior  stock,  such  as  really  injured  the 


THE  OLD  SHORTHORN  COUNTRY 


FIG.  80.   A  map  of  the  native  home  of  the  Shorthorn,  showing  the  location  of 

famous  early  herds.    Reproduced  from  "  Thomas  Bates  and  the  Kirklevington 

Shorthorns,"  by  Cadwallader  John  Bates 

beef  cattle  of  the  country.  By  Culley's  time,  however,  much  of 
this  evil  effect,  he  writes,  was  overcome.  Other  improvers  of  the 
early  Shorthorn  were  Sir  James  Pennyman,  the  Aislabies  of  Stud- 
ley  Royal,  the  Blacketts  of  Newby,  Millbank  of  Barningham,  James 
Brown,  Stephenson,  Wetherell,  Maynard,  Snowdon,  Waistell,  and 
Richard  and  William  Barker. 

The   distinguished   early   improvers   of  the   Shorthorn '  really 
date  from  about  1780  and  include  Charles  and  Robert  Colling, 


THE  SHORTHORN 


209 


Thomas  Bates,  Thomas  Booth  and  his  sons  John  and  Richard, 
and  Amos  Cruickshank.  There  were  many  other  prominent  and 
successful  breeders,  but  these  men  distinguished  themselves  as 
epoch  makers,  about  whose  careers  clusters  much  of  the  best  in 
Shorthorn  history. 

The  Colling  brothers.  These  were  Charles  and  Robert.  Charles 
was  born  in  1750  and  lived  at  Ketton,  just  north  of  Darlington  in 
Durham ;  Robert,  born  in  1 749,  lived  at  Barmpton,  about  a  mile 
from  Ketton.  Robert,  a  bachelor,  died  in  1820,  and  Charles  died 


FIG.  81.   Ketton  Hall,  the  home  of  Charles  Colling,  near  Darlington,  England. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

in  1836,  leaving  a  widow  but  no  children.  Charles  is  somewhat 
the  more  famous  of  the  two  brothers,  although  Robert  was  in 
fact  quite  his  equal  as  a  breeder.  The  Colling  brothers  have  often 
been  referred  to  as  the  founders  of  the  Shorthorn  breed,  but 
this  is  not  exactly  the  fact,  although  they  were  the  first  real  con- 
structive breeders  of  these  cattle.  The  Collings  sought  to  produce 
better  feeders,  to  have  their  cattle  mature  early,  with  more  con- 
stitution than  the  usual  sort,  and  to  dress  out  with  less  offal. 
The  great  superiority  of  the  cattle  at  Ketton  has  been  attrib- 
uted to  their  remarkable  fattening  tendency  and  to  their  superior 
handling  quality.  These  brothers  developed  two  very  famous 
herds  which  had  a  great  influence  in  improving  the  breed.  At 


210  CATTLE 

the  dispersal  sale  at  Ketton  in  1810  the  47  animals  sold  brought 
an  average  of  $750  a  head.  The  herd  of  Robert  was  sold  in  two 
consignments  —  the  first,  in  1818,  of  61  head  averaging  about 
$650;  and  the  second,  in  1820,  of  47  head  averaging  about  $250. 
Colling  tribes  of  Shorthorns  of  distinction  were  the  following : 

The  Lady  Maynard  tribe.  In  1^75  Charles  Colling  visited  John 
Maynard  at  Eryholme  and  purchased  a  cow  and  heifer  calf.  The 
cow  was  Old  Favorite,  but  named  by  him  Lady  Maynard.  The 
calf  Young  Strawberry  became  the  dam  of  a  bull  calf  named 
Bolingbroke  (86),  which  was  in  time  bred  to  Phoenix,  a  daughter 
of  Lady  Maynard  and  sired  by  Foljambe  (263),  which  resulted  in 
1793  in  the  bull  Favorite  (252),  one  of  the  most  noted  Shorthorn 
bulls  in  history.  Young  Phoenix,  a  daughter  of  Phoenix,  bred  to 
her  sire,  Favorite  (252),  produced  Comet  (155),  which  brought 
$5000,  the  top  price  at  the  Charles  Colling  sale  and  the  record 
price  for  a  bull  up  to  that  time.  The  Lady  Maynard  tribe  is  also 
known  as  the  Phoenix  tribe.  Sixteen  of  this  tribe  in  Colling's 
sale,  including  Comet  (155),  averaged  about  $1100. 

The  Princess  tribe  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  and  is  de- 
scended from  a  cow  named  Old  Haughton,  by  Hubback  (319), 
and  a  direct  descendant  from  a  cow  bred  at  Ketton  in  1739  by 
Mr.  Stephenson,  who  was  tenant  there  before  Charles  Colling. 
The  bull  Hubback  is  regarded  by  some  as  the  foundation  sire  of 
the  breed.  He  was  calved  in  1777  and  was  a  yellowish  red  with 
some  white.  He  was  sired  by  Snowdon's  Bull  (612)  and  was  a 
direct  descendant  of  the  Studley  Bull  (626),  calved  in  1737,  and 
one  of  the  first-known  Shorthorn  sires.  The  dam  of  Hubback 
was  a  cow  of  Stephenson  breeding.  Hubback  was  owned  by 
various  persons,  but  his  fame  is  chiefly  due  to  his  services  when 
owned  by  Robert  Colling  and  later  by  Charles,  who  paid  his 
brother  and  Mr.  Waistell  about  $40  for  him.  He  was  used  for  two 
years  by  Colling,  who  then  sold  him  in  1785  to  a  Mr.  Hubback 
in  Northumberland,  from  whom  he  got  his  name.  Hubback  sired 
some  very  fine  heifers  at  Ketton,  one  of  which,  Old  Haughton 
(already  referred  to),  bred  to  Richard  Barker's  Bull  (52),  produced 
the  calf  Foljambe  (263),  which  became  a  noted  sire.  The  bull 
Belvedere,  bred  by  Charles  Colling,  used  by  Thomas  Bates  was  of 
this  Princess  tribe. 


' 


THE  SHORTHORN  211 

The  Cherry  tribe  began  with  a  cow  named  Old  Cherry,  by 
the  Lame  Bull  (358)  at  Ketton.  A  daughter  of  Old  Cherry, 
by  Favorite  (252),  proved  a  valuable  dam.  There  has  been  some 
difference  of  opinion  among  early  breeders  as  to  the  real  merit 
of  this  tribe. 

The  Duchess  tribe  descends  from  old  Shorthorn  breeding  on 
the  estate  of  the  Duke  of  Northumberland.  In  1784  Charles 
Colling  bought  what  was  known  as  the  Stanwick  cow,  sired  by 
James  Brown's  Red  Bull  (97).  She  was  bred  to  Hubback  (319), 
from  which  came  a  daughter,  and  this  latter,  bred  to  Favorite 
(252),  dropped  a  daughter,  which  in  turn  was  bred  to  Daisy  Bull 
(i  86),  resulting  in  another  heifer,  named  Duchess,  calved  in  1800. 
She  was  the  foundress  of  the  tribe  later  to  become  world-wide 
famous  in  the  hands  of  Thomas  Bates. 

The  Daisy  tribe  is  descended  from  Old  Daisy,  a  granddaughter 
of  Old  Haughton  and  sired  by  Favorite  (252).  This  is  closely 
related  to  Duchess  breeding  and  is  a  Ketton  tribe. 

The  Red  Rose  tribe  was  of  Robert  Colling  breeding  and  is 
descended  from  a  cow  sired  by  Favorite  (252),  that  was  taken  to 
America  soon  after  1801  by  a  man  named  Hustler.  He  later 
returned  to  England  with  this  cow ;  hence  she  became  known  as 
the  "  American  Cow."  Bred  to  the  bull  Yarbrough  she  became 
the  dam  of  a  calf  named  Red  Rose  ist,  which  later,  in  the  posses- 
sion of  Thomas  Bates,  was  the  foundress  of  the  Red  Rose  tribe. 
The  bull  Pilot  (496),  a  noted  Booth  sire,  was  of  this  tribe.  The 
Cambridge  Rose  tribe  is  an  offshoot  from  this. 

The  Lady  tribe  was  bred  by  Charles  Colling  from  alloy  blood. 
A  polled  red  Galloway  cow,  bred  to  Bolingbroke  (86),  dropped  a 
bull  calf  in  1792  which  became  known  as  Son  of  Bolingbroke. 
He  was  bred  to  an  old  Shorthorn  cow,  Johanna,  from  which  came 
a  bull  calf  in  1794  known  as  Grandson  of  Bolingbroke  (280). 
This  last  bull,  bred  to  Phoenix,  dam  of  Favorite  (252),  produced 
a  heifer  calf  named  Lady,  the  foundress  of  the  tribe.  Lady 
produced  several  sons  and  daughters  of  merit,  notably  the  cows 
Countess  and  Laura.  This  "  alloy  cross  "  in  early  days  caused 
much  controversy  among  Shorthorn  breeders.  However,  at  the 
dispersal  sale  of  Colling  in  1810  some  of  the  highest  prices  paid 
were  for  animals  of  this  tribe. 


212  CATTLE 

Thomas  Bates  was  born  in  Northumberland  in  1775  and  died 
at  his  Kirklevington  estate  near  Yarm,  in  Yorkshire,  in  1849. 
He  early  became  acquainted  with  the  prominent  breeders  of  his 
time,  notably  the  Colling  brothers,  and  began  the  systematic 
development  of  a  class  of  cattle  having  superior  dairy  as  well  as 
beef  qualities.  He  was  a  careful  investigator,  keeping  detailed 
records  of  the  relationship  of  food  consumed  to  beef  and  milk 
production.  His  cattle  had  much  quality,  were  rather  large  for 
the  breed,  and  possessed  great  dairy  capacity,  but  were  somewhat 
criticized  for  lack  of  constitution  and  breeding  capacity.  Bates 


FIG.  82.  A  rear  view  of  the  house  and  part  of  the  stable  at  Kirklevington,  the 
residence  of  Thomas  Bates,  near  Yarm,  England.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

was  a  man  of  very  strong  convictions,  extremely  egotistical,  and 
did  not  make  friends  among  the  breeders.  He  was  an  educated 
man,  having  attended  Edinburgh  University,  and  was  an  unusual 
student  for  his  time.  He  may  rightly  be  termed  one  of  the  world's 
greatest  breeders.  Bates  died  a  bachelor,,  and  with  his  death,  in 
1849,  came  the  dispersal  of  his  herd  of  sixty-eight  animals  at 
an  average  price  of  about  $335  per  head.  The  following  are 
the  more  important  tribes  developed  by  Bates : 

The  Duchess  tribe  of  Bates  was  descended  from  the  Duchess 
cow,  by  Daisy  Bull  (186),  that  was  calved  in  1800  and  bred  by 
Colling.  A  daughter  of  Duchess  owned  by  Charles  Colling,  bred 
to  Comet  (155),  in  1808  dropped  a  heifer  calf  which  became 
known  as  Duchess  I  or  Young  Duchess,  which  Bates  purchased 


THE  SHORTHORN  213 

at  the  Colling  sale  in  1810  for  183  guineas.  Duchess  I,  the 
foundress  of  this  Bates  tribe,  was  a  notable  cow  and  the  dam  of 
Duchesses  II,  III,  IV,  V,  and  the  bull  Cleveland  (146).  This 
was  the  most  celebrated  tribe  of.  Bates  and  the  one  in  which  he 
centered  his  deepest  interests.  Duchess  34th,  by  Belvedere  (1706), 
perhaps  his  most  noted  cow,  was  bred  to  her  sire,  from  which 
came  the  famous  Duke  of  Northumberland  (1940),  regarded  by 
Bates  as  his  greatest  achievement  as  a  breeder.  At  the  Bates 
dispersal  sale  fourteen  cattle  of  this  tribe  averaged  about  $$?$ 
a  head. 

The  Oxford  tribe.  Bates  purchased  of  James  Brown  a  cow 
known  as  the  Matchem  Cow,  sired  by  Matchem  (2281).  At  the 
first  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show  of  England  at  Oxford  her 
daughter  was  the  first  prize  in  class  and  was  given  the  name 
"  Oxford  Premium  Cow."  The  Oxfords,  however,  all  trace  to  her 
half  sister.  Oxford  2d,  by  Short  Tail  (2621),  a  son  of  Belvedere 
(1706).  This  was  a  favorite  family  of  Bates's.  At  his  dispersal 
sale  thirteen  Oxfords  averaged  about  $340  each. 

The  Waterloo  tribe,  descended  from  a  cow  known  as  the  Water- 
loo Cow,  was  bought  by  Bates  in  1831.  She  was  sired  by  a  bull 
named  Waterloo  (2816)  and  was  out  of  a  cow  by  this  same  sire. 
Otherwise  little  is  known  of  the  ancestry  of  this  tribe.  Two 
daughters  of  the  Waterloo  Cow  —  Waterloo  2d,  by  Belvedere,  and 
Waterloo  3d,  by  Norfolk  (2377)  —  proved  excellent  breeders  at 
Kirklevington.  Six  Waterloos  in  Bates's  sale  averaged  nearly 
$300  each.  The  only  cows  secured  'by  Scotch  buyers  at  the 
Bates  dispersal  sale  were  Waterloo  I2th  and  I3th,  bought  by 
Amos  Cruickshank  and  W.  Hay. 

The  Cambridge  Rose  tribe  was  a  direct  descendant  from  the 
Red  Rose  tribe  of  Robert  Colling.  In  1823  Bates  had  a  Red 
Rose  cow  drop  a  bull  calf  which  he  named  Second  Hubback 
(1423).  This  bull  he  used  freely  on  his  Duchess  cows,  producing 
excellent  results.  In  1840,  with  a  heifer  of  this  family,  he  won 
high  honors  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show  at  Cambridge, 
which  resulted  in  his  naming  her  Cambridge  Rose,  the  foundress 
of  a  new  tribe.  The  noted  cow  Rose  of  Sharon,  imported  in 
1834  from  England  by  the  Ohio  Importing  Company,  was  of 
this  tribe. 


214 


CATTLE 


The  Wild  Eyes  tribe  descends  from  a  cow  known  as  Wildair, 
by  Emperor  (1975),  purchased  as  a  calf  by  Bates  at  J.  W.  Par- 
rington's  sale  in  1832.  Bates  claimed  that  this  tribe  brought 
into  his  herd  the  only  good  blood  that  he  obtained  outside  of 
the  Colling  herds. 

The  Foggathorpe  tribe  descends  from  a  cow  of  that  name  calved 
in  1830  and  bought  by  Bates  from  her  breeder,  Mr.  Edwards, 
when  she  was  ten  years  old.  She  proved  an  unusually  good 


FIG.  83.   One  corner  of  the  stable  at  Killerby,  the  home  of  Thomas  Booth  in 
Yorkshire.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

breeding  cow  and  dropped  calves  that  later  became  famous.  This 
was  an  excellent  tribe.  Bates,  it  is  said,  was  suspicious  that  Fogga- 
thorpe was  of  the  Princess  tribe. 

The  Booth  family  became  prominent  in  Shorthorn  history  with 
the  establishment  of  a  herd  by  Thomas  Booth  at  Killerby  some 
time  prior  to  1/90.  He  was  then  farming  Warlaby  and  Killerby, 
but  his  Shorthorn  breeding  began  at  the  latter  place.  He  is  said 
to  have  bought  good  Teeswater  cows  and  used  Colling  bulls  on 
them.  Booth  had  two  sons,  John  and  Richard,  who  took  up  the 
work  where  he  left  off.  John  lived  at  Killerby,  where  he  died  in 


THE  SHORTHORN  215 

1857,  aged  seventy  years.  Richard  at  first  lived  at  Studley,  near 
Killerby,  but  later  moved  to  Warlaby,  where  he  died  in  1864, 
aged  seventy-six.  These  two  men  had  a  very  great  influence  on 
Shorthorn  history  and  really  developed  the  breed  along  lines 
adopted  by  the  Colling  brothers.  The  herd  of  John  Booth  was 
sold  at  auction  in  1852,  while  that  of  Richard  was  inherited  by 
his  nephew,  Thomas  C.  Booth,  who  died  in  1878.  A  brother  of 
the  latter,  J.  B.  Booth,  engaged  in  breeding  at  Killerby,  where  he 
died  in  1886.  In  1898  the  herd  at  Warlaby  came  into  the  posses- 
sion of  Richard  Booth,  son  of  Thomas  C.  Booth,  who  has  not 
played  a  prominent  part  in  British  Shorthorn  activities.  Short- 
horns, however,  have  been  bred  in  the  Booth  family  for  three 
generations,  covering  a  period  of  considerably  over  one  hundred 
years.  The  Booth  cattle  were  rougher  and  apparently  more  robust 
than  those  of  Bates  type  and  met  with  much  favor.  The  Booths 
sought  to  produce  thick-fleshed,  easy-feeding  animals  with  plenty 
of  quality  and  strong  constitution.  They  did  not  have  the  dis- 
tinction for  milk  production  notable  with  Bates's  animals.  Booth 
cattle  have  long  been  popular  in  Ireland,  where  since  early  days 
Shorthorns  have  been  prime  favorites.  Among  the  important 
Booth  tribes  are  the  following : 

The  Anna  tribe,  descended  from  a  cow  named  Anna,  by  Pilot 
(496),  calved  in  1820,  is  one  of  the  oldest  Booth  families.  The  cow 
Bright  Eyes,  calved  in  1808,  produced  two  daughters,  Ariadne,  by 
Albion  (14),  and  Agnes.  Anna  was  a  daughter  of  Ariadne,  one 
of  the  great  early-day  dams.  Anna  was  bred  at  Studley  and  was 
not  only  a  famous  dam  but  a  great  show  cow.  In  its  time  this 
was  one  of  the  more  popular  Booth  tribes. 

The  Isabella  tribe  had  for  foundress  a  cow  by  that  name,  calved 
in  1820,  and  a  half  sister  of  Anna,  being  sired  by  Pilot  (496). 
Isabella  was  a  very  beautiful  cow,  being  known  as  the  "  match- 
less Isabella,"  and  she  proved  a  remarkable  breeder,  dropping 
nine  calves,  six  being  heifers.  A  son,  Isaac,  proved  a  valuable 
sire,  and  her  daughter  Isabella  Buckingham  was  a  Royal  winner. 
Carr,  in  his  history  of  the  Booth  cattle,  states  that  "  Isabella  and 
her  descendants  brought  the  massive  yet  exquisitely  molded  fore 
quarters  into  the  herd,  and  also  the  straight  underline  of  the 
belly,  for  which  the  Warlaby  animals  are  so  remarkable." 


216  CATTLE 

The  Halnaby,  or  Strawberry,  tribe  began  with  a  cow  named 
Halnaby,  by  Lame  Bull  (359),  bought  by  Mr.  Booth  about  1797 
on  Darlington  market.  Bred  to  Albion  (14),  a  son  of  Comet  (155), 
she  produced  Young  Albion  (15),  a  most  valuable  Booth  sire 
and  the  first  of  the  Booth  bulls  let  out  for  hire.  Rockingham 
(2551)  and  Priam  (2452),  well-known  sires,  are  of  this  tribe. 
Priam  was  sire  of  Necklace  and  Bracelet,  the  most  famous 
Shorthorn  twins  of  history,  of  which  more  is  said  below. 


FIG.  84.    Lady  Fragrant,  calved  in  1863.    In  the  herd  of  Thomas  C.  Booth,  she 

was  for  years  the  leading  prize-winning  Shorthorn  female  in  England.     From 

an  engraving  by  E.  Hacker,  published  in  London  in  1868 

The  Bracelet  tribe  is  descended  from  the  cow  Countess,  by 
Albion  (14).  In  fact  this  is  also  known  as  the  Countess  tribe. 
Four  generations  from  Countess  came  the  cow  Vestal,  owned  by 
John  Booth,  by  the  epoch-making  Booth  sire,  Pilot  (496).  A 
daughter  of  Vestal  named  Toy,  sired  by  Argus  (759),  bred  to 
Priam  (2452),  became  the  dam  of  the  twin  heifers  Bracelet  and 
Necklace  to  which  reference  is  above  made.  These  twins  proved 
to  be  not  only  the  greatest  show  Shorthorns  between  1842  and 
1846,  but  each  became  a  great  dam.  Bracelet  was  the  dam  of 
several  animals  of  unusual  merit.  Her  son  Buckingham  (3239), 
by  Musselman  (4525),  proved  to  be  one  of  the  famous  bulls  of 
his  time,  siring  many  noteworthy  females. 


THE  SHORTHORN  217 

The  Moss  Rose  tribe  of  Booth  was  descended  from  a  cow 
named  Dairymaid,  by  Pilot  (496),  said  to  have  come  "  from  a 
good  stock  in  the  village  of  Scorton,  not  far  from  Killerby." 
Though  this  tribe  was  developed  at  Warlaby,  it  should  not  be 
confused  with  one  of  the  same  name  founded  at  Killerby  and  of 
less  importance.  From  Dairymaid  was  descended  Moss  Rose, 
by  Priam  (2452),  and  from  this  line  comes  Vivandiere,  by  Buck- 
ingham (3239),  one  of  the  very  best  breeding  Shorthorn  cows 
of  Booth  ancestry.  Vivandiere  had  ten  calves,  seven  of  which 
were  prize  winners  —  one,  Campfollower,  being  regarded  as  one 
of  the  greatest  of  Warlaby-bred  matrons. 

The  Fairholm,  or  Blossom,  tribe  had  its  origin  in  a  purchase 
by  Thomas  Booth  of  five  heifers  from  a  Mr.  Broader  of  Fairholm. 
From  these  heifers  came  three  branches,  of  which  the  Blossom 
is  most  conspicuous.  From  it  are  descended  the  well-known 
Warlaby-bred  animals  Plum  Blossom,  Nectarine  Blossom,  Venus 
Victrix,  Baron  Warlaby  (7813),  and  Windsor  (14013). 

Less  prominent  early  English  Shorthorn  breeders  besides  the 
above  were  Christopher  Mason  of  Chilton ;  Jonas  Whittaker  of 
Otley,  near  Leeds ;  William  Wetherell  of  Aldborough,  near 
Darlington  ;  Sir  Charles  Knighley  of  Fawsley  Park,  Daventry ; 
Colonel  Towneley  of  Towneley ;  and  William  Torr  of  Riby 
and  Aylesby. 

The  development  of  the  Shorthorn  in  Scotland  first  took  root 
in  the  border  country,  among  the  north  foothills  of  the  Cheviots. 
Here  Robertson  of  Ladykirk,  near  the  town  of  Coldstream  on 
the  banks  of  the  Tweed,  was  the  first  Scotchman  to  engage  in 
breeding  Shorthorns.  This  was  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 
Robertson  bred  some  excellent  cattle,  but  was  very  independent 
and  would  not  register  them  in  the  Coates  herdbook.  John 
Rennie  of  Phantassie  about  1818  or  1819  bought  of  Robertson 
and  of  English  breeders  and  established  a  herd  still  farther 
north,  easterly  from  Edinburgh,  near  the  town  of  Haddington. 
Rennie  became  a  noted  Shorthorn  breeder  and  produced  a  type 
of  profitable  cattle  which,  like  Robertson,  he  refused  to  register 
in  the  English  book.  The  first  person  to  introduce  the  Short- 
horn into  north  Scotland  was  Captain  Barclay,  who  lived  on  the 
estate  of  Ury  near  the  seaport  of  Stonehaven,  a  few  miles  south 


218 


CATTLE 


of  Aberdeen.  His  first  Shorthorn  purchase  was  made  in  1829 
at  the  sale  of  Mason  at  Chilton,  when  he  bought  two  females, 
one  of  which,  Lady  Sarah,  proved  a  great  producer.  Barclay  bred 
many  noted  animals,  among  which  was  The  Pacha  (7612),  the 
sire  of  some  of  the  most  distinguished  cattle  of  the  breed.  In 
1838  Barclay  had  a  dispersal  sale,  but  in  1840  he  established 
another  herd.  At  Ury  a  class  of  cattle  of  great  scale  and  sub- 
stance was  developed.  Following  these  early,  constructive  Scotch 
breeders  were  Grant  Duff  of  Eden,  Hay  of  Shethin,  the  Cruick- 
shanks  of  Sittyton,  Marr  of  Uppermill,  and  others  who  did  much 

to  give  fame  to  the  Short- 
horn breed. 

Amos  Cruickshank  was 
born  in  Aberdeen  in  north- 
eastern Scotland,  in  1808, 
and  died  in  1895  at 
Sittyton,  Aberdeenshire. 
In  partnership  with  his 
brother  Anthony,  who  was 
a  merchant  in  the  city  of 
Aberdeen,  Amos  took  pos- 
session in  1837  of  a  some- 
what rolling  farm  where 
roots,  the  small  grains, 
and  grass  were  produced. 

Here  Cruickshank  began  his  long  career  as  one  of  the  world's 
great  constructive  breeders,  and,  as  so  well  expressed  by  Sanders,1 
in  "  a  rough,  broken  country,  possessing  but  limited  areas  of 
good  soil,  wanting  in  natural  shelter,  swept  for  a  good  portion 
of  the  year  by  the  chill  east  winds  of  the  North  Sea,  and  en- 
during the  long,  dark  winters  of  latitude  58°N."  Here  Cruick- 
shank began  to  select  and  buy  Shorthorns  from  various  sources, 
choosing  animals  that  possessed  plenty  of  vigor  and  rapid 
flesh-producing  qualities,  and  that  were  distinctively  of  the  beef- 
producing  type.  He  was  not  influenced  by  pedigree  fads,  and 
purchased  on  a  very  independent  basis.  Again  quoting  Sanders2 : 

1  A.  H.  Sanders,  Shorthorn  Cattle,  p.  550.      Chicago,  1900. 

2  Ibid.  p.  578. 


FIG.  85.    The  farmhouse  of  William  Duthie  at 

Collynie,  Tarves,  Scotland.    From  photograph 

by  the  author 


THE  SHORTHORN  219 

Vitality  and  feeding  quality  were  with  Amos  Cruickshank  considered  para- 
mount. A  broad,  full  chest,  wide  back,  and  deep  ribs  were  his  all-in-all.  The 
head  had  attention  only  as  it  gave  some  token  as  to  the  vigor  or  probable 
capacity  of  the  animal  for  feed  lot  or  reproductive  purposes.  The  rump  carried 
cheap  meat  and  was,  in  his  view,  of  wholly  secondary  importance.  Level  quar- 
ters and  fine  fronts  he  fully  appreciated,  but  if  the  "middle"  was  weak  the 
fault  with  him  was  fatal. 

Cruickshank  met  with  prime  success,  and  to-day  Scotch  cattle, 
tracing  back  in  an  important  degree  to  his  breeding,  are  in  great 
favor.  Among  the  notable  tribes  established  by  him  the  following 
justify  brief  mention  : 

The  Brawith  Bud  tribe  originated  with  a  cow  of  that  name  in 
the  herd  of  Grant  Duff,  which  he  bought  in  1841  from  Benjamin 
Wilson  of  Brawith,  England.  In  1854  Cruickshank  bought  from 
Duff  a  cow  named  Pure  Gold,  descended  from  Brawith  Bud, 
so  the  name  "  Pure  Gold  "  is  also  given  this  tribe.  Pure  Gold  lived 
to  be  the  oldest  cow  at  Sittyton,  and  her  daughter  Golden  Days 
proved  to  be  a  remarkably  fine  breeder,  being  dam  of  three  great 
bulls ;  namely,  Golden  Rule,  Pride  of  the  Isles,  and  Lord  of  the 
Isles.  This  was  one  of  the  most  successfully  developed  tribes  at 
Sittyton,  up  to  the  final  dispersion. 

The  Broadhooks  tribe  descends  from  a  cow  named  Eliza,  by 
White  Bull  (5643),  tracing  back  to  the  breeding  of  Robertson  of 
Ladykirk.  Several  cows  named  Broadhooks  are  descended  from 
Eliza,  but  the  family  was  gone  from  the  Cruickshank  herd  after 
1869.  However,  this  tribe  was  promoted  by  Lord  Lovat,  and  in 
his  hands  produced  the  noted  bull  New  Year's  Gift  (57796), 
prominent  in  the  Royal  herd  at  Windsor  and  a  most  excellent  sire. 

The  Clipper  tribe  descends  from  the  cow  Clipper,  by  Billy 
(3151),  and  traces  back  into-  the  herd -of  Mason-  of  Chilton. 
Her  daughter  Cressida,  by  John  Bull  (11618),  bred  to  Czar 
(20947),  dropped  an  excellent  calf  called  Carmine,  which  later  — 
to  the  service  of  Champion  of  England  (17526)  —  became  the 
dam  of  two  fine  females,  Carmine  Rose  and  Princess  Royal. 
These  were  two  of  the  best  females  bred  by  Cruickshank.  The 
latter  cow  bred  until  she  was  fifteen  and  was  dam  of  Roan 
Gauntlet  (35284),  next  to  Cha'mpion  of  England  the  greatest 
bull  ever  bred  by  the  Master  of  Sittyton. 


220 


CATTLE 


The  Lavender  tribe  was  one  of  the  later  families  established 
at  Sittyton.  In  1870  Mr.  Cruickshank  bought  some  Lavender 
cows  from  Mr.  Butler  of  Badminton,  England,  and  these  traced 
back  to  the  old  Lenton  blood  of  John  Wilkinson.  Lavender 


FIG.  86.    Pride  of  Oakdale  496710,  calved  in  1916,  and  many  times  champion. 

A  fine  example  of  Shorthorn  character.   Bred  and  owned  by  F.  R.  Edwards,  Tiffin, 

Ohio.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Edwards 

1 6th,  by  Lord  Lansdowne  (29128),  and  Lavender  1 7th,  by  Royal 
Duke  of  Gloster  (20901),  were  the  two  outstanding  females  of 
this  tribe  in  Cruickshank's  hands.  Count  Lavender  (60545), 
celebrated  as  a  sire  in  the  herd  of  J.  Deane  Willis,  was  of  this 
tribe,  which  has  long  been  popular  in  America. 


THE  SHORTHORN  221 

The  Lovely  tribe  descends  from  the  two  cows  Lovely  6th  and 
Lovely  8th,  each  sired  by  Bosquet  (14183).  These  two  descend 
from  the  cow  Marion,  by  Anthony  (1640),  of  English  breeding, 
brought  to  Scotland  by  Hay  of  Shethin.  Scotland's  Pride  (25100), 
one  of  the  great  sires  at  Sittyton,  was  a  son  of  Lovely  8th. 

The  Mimulus  tribe  takes  its  name  from  a  red  cow,  Mimulus, 
by  Champion  of  England  (17526).  She  traced  back  through 
several  generations,  it  is  supposed  to  stock  of  Robertson  of 
Ladykirk.  Mimulus  was  sold  to  John  Dryden  of  Canada,  but 
she  left  a  son,  Royal  Duke  of  Gloster  (29864)  at  Sittyton,  that 
proved  one  of  the  great  sires  of  the  breed.  Mimulus  was  also 
the  dam  of  Barmpton  Hero  (58813),  calved  in  the  Dryden  herd 
and  one  of  the  noted  American-bred  sires.  This  family  did  not 
have  a  large  representation  in  the  herd  at  Sittyton  and  finally 
disappeared  entirely. 

The  Nonpareil  tribe  descends  from  a  cow  named  Nonpareil  in 
the  herd  of  Mr.  Cartwright  of  Lincolnshire,  England.  In  1844 
Mr.  Cruickshank  purchased  a  cow  called  Nonpareil  3d,  by  Young 
Frederick  (3836),  and  she  became  the  Sittyton  foundress  of  this 
tribe,  producing  some  excellent  progeny.  This  tribe  seemed  to 
run  to  bulls,  and  finally  about  1864  it  became  nearly  extinct. 
Later  an  effort  was  made  to  reestablish  it  in  the  herd,  but  with- 
out much  success. 

The  Orange  Blossom,  or  Fancy,  tribe  had  its  start  in  a  cow  named 
Fancy,  by  Billy  (3151),  bought  in  1874  from  John  Hutcheson  of 
Monyruy.  A  daughter  of  Fancy  named  Edith  Fairfax,  by  Sir 
Thomas  Fairfax  (5  196),  was  an  unusual  producer,  and  from  one  of 
her  daughters,  Queen  of  Scotland,  by  Matadore  (i  1800),  came  the 
original  Orange  Blossom.  She  was  the  dam  of  William  of  Orange 
(50694),  perhaps  the  best-known  sire  in  the  herd  of  William  Marr 
at  Uppermill.  The  bull  Gay  Monarch  (92411),  owned  by  Rob- 
bins  &  Sons  of  Indiana,  a  successful  show  bull  and  sire,  was  by 
William  of  Orange. 

The  Secret  tribe  at  Sittyton  secured  its  foothold  there  through 
the  purchase  in  1855  of  the  cow  Sympathy,  by  Duke  of  Athol 
(10150).  She  dropped  a  heifer  named  Sunrise.  From  these  two 
cows  the  Cruickshank  Secrets  descend.  This  was  an  excellent  and 
prolific  family.  One  of  the  best  of  the  Secret  cows  is  said  to  have 


222 


CATTLE 


been  Surname,  the  dam  of  Scottish  Archer  (59833),  prominent 
as  a  sire  in  the  herd  of  William  Duthie  at  Collynie. 

The  Spicy  tribe  derives  its  name  from  the  cow  Spicy  4th,  pur- 
chased in  1868  from  a  Mr.  Milne  of  Aberdeenshire.  She  had  for 
dam  a  most  excellent  cow  named  Spicy,  by  Marmaduke  (14897). 
Spicy  4th,  bred  to  Champion  of  England,  produced  a  very  superior 
cow  named  Silvery.  From  this  not  large  family  came  a  number  of 
high-class  individuals,  including  the  bulls  Strongbow  (52230)  and 

Sea  King  (61769),  the 
former  having  been 
used  in  service  at  Sit- 
tyton.  The  bull  Spicy 
Robin  (69638),  in  the 
herd  of  J.Deane  Willis 
at  Bapton  Manor,  Eng- 
land, was  of  this  family. 
The  Venus  tribe  de- 
scends from  a  red  heifer 
of  this  name  bought 
in  1841  at  the  sale  of 
Mr.  Rennie  in  Forfar- 
shire.  Venus  was  by 
Saturn  (5089),  bred  by 
Mr.  Simpson,  and  her 
dam,  Dairymaid,  traced 
back  to  the  Ladykirk 

herd.  From  the  cow  Flora,  by  Fairfax  Royal  (6987),  and  her 
granddaughter,  Morning  Star,  by  Champion  of  England  (17526), 
came  some  of  the  best  representatives  of  the  Venus  tribe,  which 
was  in  favor  with  Mr.  Cruickshank  to  the  last. 

The  Victoria  tribe  secured  its  start  at  Sittyton  in  the  purchase* 
in  Ireland,  in  1853,  by  Anthony  Cruickshank  of  the  cow  Victoria 
I9th,  by  Lord  John  (11731).  She  was  sent  to  Mr.  Hay's  at 
Shethin  and  bred  to  the  Booth  bull  Red  Knight  (11976),  from 
which  she  dropped  twin  heifers,  Victoria  29th  and  3Oth.  This 
original  stock  was  somewhat  delicate,  and  neither  mother  nor 
daughters  bred  well  until  mated  to  Champion  of  England.  Vic- 
toria 39th,  out  of  Victoria  I9th,  by  this  bull,  proved  a  valuable 


FIG.  87.     Maxwalton  Renown  367543,  one  of  the 

leading  Shorthorn  sires  in  the  herd  of  Carpenter 

and  Ross,  Mansfield,  Ohio.    This  bull  died  in  1918. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  SHORTHORN  223 

addition  and  was  long  used  in  the  herd.  Victoria  4ist,  by  Lord 
Privy  Seal  (16444),  and  Victoria  57th,  by  Lord  Lancaster 
(26666),  gave  distinction  to  the  tribe,  which  was  probably  never 
in  high  favor  with  Amos  Cruickshank,  though  much  admired  by 
his  brother  Anthony.  This  family  has  been  popular  in  America, 
the  bull  Baron  Victor  (45944),  out  of  Victoria  58th,  in  his  day  being 
famous  as  a  sire  in  the  herd  of  the  late  Colonel  W.  A.  Harris 
of  Kansas. 

The  Violet  tribe  at  Sittyton  is  based  on  a  roan  cow  named 
Moss  Rose,  calved  in  1837  but  of  uncertain  pedigree.  She  was 
a  valuable  dam  and  in  1843  dropped  a  calf  called  Red  Rose, 
by  Inkhorn  (6091).  Red  Rose  was  an  extra  good  breeder,  and 
from  her  came  several  calves,  among  which  was  Violet,  by  Lord 
Bathurst  (13173).  Three  of  the  daughters  of  Violet  —  Village 
Rose,  by  Champion  of  England,  Sweet  Violet,  by  Lord  Stanley 
(16454),  and  Red  Violet,  by  Allan  (21772) — were  of  unusual 
excellence.  This  was  a  prolific  family  and  was  regarded  with 
favor  by  Cruickshank. 

The  Augusta  tribe  was  established  by  the  Bruces  at  Inver- 
quhomery,  Aberdeenshire.  It  is  said  that  about  1850  Mr.  J.  Bruce 
bought  two  cows  at  Pyrgo  Park,  Essex  —  a  Rosewood  and  an 
Augusta,  the  former  costing  $  I  oo  and  the  latter  $  1 60.  A  heifer 
calf  of  the  Augusta  cow  was  bought  for  $75.  Sittyton  bulls  were 
used  in  the  herd,  Bruce  and  Cruickshank  being  special  friends. 
The  Inverquhomery  herd  was  essentially  built  up  from  these  two 
families  up  to  the  time  of  its  dispersal  in  1899. 

The  Duchess  of  Gloster  tribe  descends  from  a  cow  named 
Chance  bought  by  Cruickshank  in  1855  from  Mr.  Robinson, 
Burton  upon  Trent.  She  was  sired  by  a  Bates  bull,  Duke  of  Gloster 
(11382),  and  out  of  a  cow  named  Chaplet.  Sinclair  states  that 
Chance  was  of  a  delicate  constitution,  and  her  first  heifers  did 
not  live  long,  producing  but  two  or  three  calves  each.  Seventh 
Duchess  of  Gloster,  by  Lord  Raglan  (13244),  proved  to  be  an 
excellent  breeder  and  had  five  calves  to  the  service  of  Champion 
of  England  (17526)  that  made  a  good  showing.  A  son  of  Ninth 
Duchess  of  Gloster,  by  Champion  of  England,  was  named  Grand 
Duke  of  Gloster  (26288).  He  died  at  two  years  of  age  from  an 
accident,  and  his  death  was  regarded  as  a  serious  loss  to  the 


224  CATTLE 

herd.  Royal  Duke  of  Gloster  (29864)  was  considered  one  of 
the  most  valued  bulls  in  service  at  Sittyton.  This  family  has  for 
many  years  been  popular  in  both  Canada  and  the  United  States. 

The  first  Shorthorns  imported  to  America  were  brought  to 
Virginia  in  1783  by  Gough  and  Miller,  and  though  not  called 
Shorthorns  the  evidence  shows  them  to  have  been  of  this  breed. 
These  men  also  imported  again  about  1792.  It  is  said  that  in 
1791  and  also  in  1796  a  Mr.  Heaton  brought  Shorthorns  to  New 
York  State.  A  Mr.  Cox  also  brought  a  bull  and  two  cows  to 
Rensselaer  County,  New  York,  after  the  close  of  the  War  of 
'1812.  In  1817  the  first  pedigreed  bulls,  Marquis  (408)  and 
Moscow  (9413),  were  brought  to  America,  S.  M.  Hopkins  import- 
ing them  into  the  Genesee  valley  in  New  York.  What  are 
known  as  "The  Seventeens  "  were  imported  in  1817  by  Colonel 
Lewis  Sanders  of  Kentucky,  and  included  four  bulls  and  four 
heifers.  One  of  the  heifers  died  before  reaching  Kentucky,  but  the 
others  —  Mrs.  Motte  (the  Durham  Cow)  and  the  Teeswater  Cow— 
were  the  first  to  be  imported  west  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  their 
descendants  are  known  as  "The  Seventeens."  In  1817  and  1818 
importations  were  made  to  Massachusetts;  in  1821,  1822,  and 
1823  importations  were  brought  to  New  York  State  and  from 
then  on  into  various  sections  of  the  Eastern  states. 

The  Ohio  Importing  Company,  organized  at  Chillicothe,  Ohio, 
in  1833,  with  about  fifty  stockholders,  became  the  most  impor- 
tant factor  in  introducing  Shorthorns  to  America  up  to  this  time. 
In  1834  Felix  and  Josiah  Renick  and  E.  J.  Harness  went  to 
England,  where  they  visited  Bates,  the  Booths,  Maynard,  Clark, 
and  other  famous  breeders  and  purchased  nineteen  head  and 
brought  them  to  Ohio.  In  this  shipment  were  the  heifers  Rose 
of  Sharon,  by  Belvedere  (1706),  bred  by  Thomas  Bates,  and 
Young  Mary,  by  Jupiter  (2170),  bred  by  J.  Clark.  The  history 
of  these  cows  is  inseparably  associated  with  Shorthorn  fame  in 
America.  Importations  were  also  made  in  1835  and  1836,  and 
on  October  29,  1836,  occurred  the  most  important  Shorthorn 
auction  sale  held  in  America,  when  this  importation  was  sold  off 
and  the  herd  closed  up.  Forty-three  animals  sold  for  $34,540, 
an  average  of  $803.25.  The  formation  of  the  Ohio  Company 
was  one  of  the  notable  steps  in  American  Shorthorn  history, 


THE  SHORTHORN 


225 


Ohio  Company's  Importations  of  1834. 


Of  D  ARLINGTON: 

A  ROAN  BULL,  CALVED  APRIL,  4,  1833. 

(Bred  bj  Thomas  Bates,  Esq.) 
PHTttGREE,  «  per  Ctnlfcate  M  fouarim  of  F.  REfflCK,  Agent 

Got  bj  Belridier;  dam,  Trin- 
ket, bj  Sjmetry  (643$;)  grand 
dam,  do.  by  Jupiter  [342;]  gr. 
grand  dam,  do.  by  Phenome- 
non [491;]  gr.  gr.  grand  dam 
Tragedy  by  Favorite  [252;] 
gr.  gr.  gr.  grand  dam,  Tra- 
gedy by  Punch  [531.] 

The  EARL  OF  DARLINGTON 
descended  from  the  cow  that  took  the 
first  premium  ever  awarded  by  the  Ag- 
ricultural Society  at  Darlington,  Dur- 
ham county,  England. 

§See  Herd-Book, 


although  later  numerous  other  companies  were  organized  in  the 
Middle  West  for  the  importation  and  promotion  of  the  breed. 

The  char- 
acteristics of 
the  Short- 
horn. Having 
traced  briefly 
the  influences 
that  have  sur- 
rounded the 
development 
of  the  Short- 
horn breed,  a 
consideration 
of  its  charac- 
teristics will 
now  be  appro- 
priate. The 
general  con- 
formation of 
the  Shorthorn 
adheres  close- 
ly to  the  beef 
type,  though 
certain  tribes, 
the  Bates  bred 
in  particular, 
have  so  strong 
a  tendency  to 
the  produc- 
tion of  milk  as 
to  be  spoken 
of  as  general- 
purpose  cattle. 
The  follow- 
ing points  es- 
pecially apply  to 
paratively  small 


FIG.  88.  Copy  of  the  pedigree  of  the  Earl  of  Darlington,  in 
the  po'ssession  of  the  author,  published  by  the  Ohio  Importing 
Company  about  1835.  This  is  no  doubt  a  copy  of  one  of  the 
first  pedigrees  printed  in  America.  By  courtesy  of  Mr.  O.  V. 
Hegler,  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  whose  grandfather  was  one  of 
the  original  stockholders  of  the  Ohio  Importing  Company 

the  cow  :  The  horn  is  variable,  but  is  always  com- 
and  short  and  preferably  curves  forward,  with  the 


226  CATTLE 

tips  bending  inward  or  upward.  In  color  a  waxy  yellowish  tint  is 
preferred,  though  blackish  tips  are  not  debarred.  The  head  should 
be  lean  and  shapely  and  short  from  between  the  eyes  to  the  muzzle, 
which  should  be  flesh  color  and  broad,  with  large  nostrils.  A  dark 
or  blackish  muzzle  is  distinctly  objected  to  by  most  breeders. 
The  neck  should  be  short,  neatly  attached  to  the  head,  and  blend 
smoothly  into  the  shoulders.  Shorthorn  shoulders  tend  to  be  a  bit 
prominent  and  bare.  They  should  be  well  laid  in  and  smoothly 
covered  with  flesh.  Back  of  the  shoulders  the  crops  and  fore  flanks 
are  often  deficient,  and  lack  of  heart  girth  is  a  frequent  criticism  of 
the  breed.  Superior  animals  show  a  body  that  is  very  broad  of 
back,  strong  of  loin,  and  so  prominent  of  rib  as  to  give  a  large 
girth  and  digestive  capacity  of  the  first  order.  The  flanks  before 
and  behind  are  also  low  and  full.  A  thick,  deep  body  is  usually 
associated  with  a  low,  full  chest  and  prominent  breast,  —  essentials 
with  a  proper  constitutional  development.  The  brisket  should  be 
broad  and  deep  and  carried  forward  as  a  part  of  a  smooth,  full, 
and  attractive  breast.  The  hind  quarter  of  the  Shorthorn  is  usu- 
ally typical  of  the  breed,  —  superior  in  its  general  development  to 
that  of  any  other  beef  breed.  Regarding  the  hips  William  Hous- 
man  writes  of  the  Shorthorn  :  "  In  fat  or  lean  animals  the  hip 
bone  must  be  liberally  covered,  not  bare,  hard,  or  sharp ;  each 
hip  '  cleft,'  and  the  hollow  filled  with  elastic  flesh.  This  is  an  im- 
portant test  of  the  quality  of  the  animal,  especially  in  the  lean 
state."  The  rump  is  usually  long,  level,  and  broad  and  well 
covered  with  meat,  while  the  thighs  and  quarters  are  long,  thick, 
and  deep  from  front  to  rear,  showing  a  maximum  amount  of 
meat  for  this  quarter.  Animals  of  naturally  heavy-fleshing  quali- 
ties frequently  get  "patchy"  about  the  root  of  the  tail  at  the 
rump,  and  also  roll  some  on  the  sides,  thus  detracting  from  the 
smoothness  of  finish.  The  modern  demand  is  for  smoothness, 
and  the  old-fashioned,  rough,  patchy  class  of  cattle  are  in  great 
disfavor  among  progressive  Shorthorn  breeders.  Quality  and 
smoothness  are  two  essentials  insisted  upon,  and  the  observant 
student  will  note  that  in  the  show  ring  of  to-day,  in  important 
competition,  those  animals  given  preference  are  smooth  and  show 
a  condition  that  signifies  the  distinctly  superior  butcher's  beast. 
The  ^tdder  of  the  Shorthorn  usually  shows  greater  capacity  than 


THE  SHORTHORN 


227 


does  that  of  the  other  beef  breeds.  Shorthorn  cows  as  a  rule 
furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  milk  for  the  calf.  It  is  this 
milk-producing  capacity  of  the  Shorthorn  that  has  made  it  a 
favorite  for  a  century  with  a  class  of  American  farmers  wha 
desire  general-purpose  cattle.  In  limb  animals  of  this  breed 
should  show  shortness  of  leg,  small,  clean  bone,  and  strong  yet 


FIG.  89.  Village  Supreme  423865,  grand-champion  Shorthorn  bull  in  1917  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition  and  a  great  sire.  Sold  by  Bellows  Brothers, 
Maryville,  Missouri,  for  $16,500.  This  is  a  fine  example  of  the  smooth-fleshed, 
modern  type  of  Shorthorn,  and  one  that  meets  with  much  favor.  From  photograph 
by  Risk,  by  courtesy  of  Bellows  Brothers 

not  coarse  joints.  A  criticism  often  made  of  Shorthorns  and 
not  without  some  justice  is  that  they  have  a  tendency  to  be  too 
long  of  leg.  This  has  been  especially  said  in  the  past  of  cattle 
of  Bates-bred  ancestry,  and  this  criticism  has  been  materially 
weakened  by  the  influence  of  Scotch  blood,  which  has  produced 
a  compact  type,  with  depth  of  rib  and  shortness  of  leg  essential 
in  cattle  that  will  kill  out  to  best  advantage.  The  coat  of  hair 
should  be  thick  and  fine,  especially  in  the  cooler  season  of  the 
year.  An  abundant  coat  is  an  evidence  of  a  rugged  constitution, 


228 


CATTLE 


gives  protection  in  cold  weather,  and  is  rather  characteristic  of 
animals  of  Scotch  ancestry.  What  is  known  as  a  "thick,  mossy 
undercoat "  is  more  or  less  covered  with  a  longer,  coarser  hair 
which,  under  favorable  conditions,  has  a  tendency  to  curl  slightly. 
The  Shorthorn  bull  should  possess  in  the  main  the  desirable 
features  of  the  female,  without  her  feminine  qualities.  His  head, 


FIG.  90.  Clover  Leaf  Gloster,  junior  champion  Shorthorn  female  in  1918  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition,  and  champion  at  other  shows.  A  model 
Shorthorn  heifer  and  a  fine  example  of  red  color.  Bred  and  owned  by  W.  C. 
Rosenberger  &  Sons,  Tiffin,  Ohio.  From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy 

of  the  owners 

horns,  and  neck  naturally  should  be  stronger  and  larger,  the 
latter  being  thick  and  arched,  the  whole  front  showing  character 
and  breeding  power.  The  horns  of  the  bull  are  less  curved  than 
those  of  the  cow  and  should  be  prominent  yet  not  coarse.  Over 
the  forehead  and  neck  should  be  a  covering  of  thick,  fine,  and 
moderately  long  hair.  In  general  form  the  bull  should  also  be 
broad  in  front,  with  full  deep  bosom,  broad  powerful  arms,  a 
comparatively  shorter  and  more  blocky  body  than  that  possessed 
by  the  cow  and  with  greater  relative  size. 


THE  SHORTHORN 


229 


The  color  of  the  Shorthorn  is  in  part  distinctive  of  the  breed. 
This  may  be  pure  red,  red  and  white,  pure  white,  or  roan,  the 
latter  being  a  commingling  of  red  and  white  hairs  without  form- 
ing a  solid  color.  The  shades  vary  —  the  red  ranging  from  light  to 
dark,  and  the  roan  from  light  or  white  roan  to  dark  or  red  roan. 
No  other  breed  claims  the  roan  color.  Black  is  not  a  Shorthorn 
color  and  should  not  occur  in  pure-bred  animals.  The  skin  color 
may  properly  be  mentioned  in  this  connection.  This  should  be 
of  a  very  light  yellow  or  creamy  tint,  as  shown  in  the  ears  and 
about  the  armpits  and  udder,  or  scrotum.  The  bare  skin  on  the 
nose  should  be  " flesh  color"  and  not  a  dark  slate,  such  as  some- 
times occurs.  A  smutty  nose  is  an  off  Shorthorn  color  and  is 
distinctly  objected  to  by  breeders  in  general. 

The  relative  percentage  of  Shorthorn  colors  has  attracted  more 
or  less  attention.  Years  ago  the  author  instituted  a  study  of  the 
herdbooks,  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  the  prevalence  of  the 
different  Shorthorn  colors.  For  this  purpose  10,000  head  regis- 
tered in  the  herdbooks  from  1859  to  1903  were  classified,  and 
color  comparison  made.  In  1917  my  associate,  Professor  S.  M. 
Salisbury,  computed  the  colors  of  24,000  animals  registered  from 
1910  to  1914  inclusive.  The  figures  thus  obtained,  covering 
34,000  head,  may  be  expressed  as  follows  : 

PREVALENCE  OF  COLORS  IN  SHORTHORN  HERDBOOKS 


COLOR 

1859-1903 

1910-1914 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 

Red     

Red  and  white       .     . 
Roan   .     . 

4,943 
2,748 
2,034 

10,000 

4943 

2748 
20.34 

IOO.OO 

15,085 
3,340 
5'°72 
503 
24,000 

62.85 

'3-93 

21.13 

2-°9 

100.00 

White  

Total 

These  figures  show  red  much  the  more  prevalent  and  increasing 
with  the  years,  a  marked  dropping  off  in  red  and  white,  no  special 
change  in  roan,  and  a  slight  loss  in  white.  The  importance  of 
color  varies  in  the  estimation  of  different  persons,  but  color  is  no 
index  to  quality.  Some  have  thought  dark  color  indicates  hardi- 
ness and  that  white  is  associated  with  possible  lack  of  vigor  or 


230  CATTLE 

constitution.  There  are  no  facts,  however,  to  support  the  one  theory 
or  the  other,  and  wise  breeders  pay  no  attention  to  such  views. 
There  have  been  Shorthorn  color  fads,  and  for  years  Kentucky, 
Ohio,  and  Indiana  breeders  demanded  red,'  and  red  only,  but  this 
era  has  passed.  At  the  present  day,  however,  markedly  red-and- 
white  bulls  are  rarely  seen  in  prominent  herds,  male  calves  of  this 
color  being  sold  for  service  in  grade  herds  or  converted  into  steers. 


FIG.  91.    White  Heather,  first-prize  and  champion  Shorthorn  cow  at  the  1904 

show  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England.    A  beautiful  example  of  the 

breed.    Bred  "by  J.  Deane  Willis.     From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William 

Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhamsted,  England 

The  size  of  the  Shorthorn  places  it  in  the  largest  class  of  beef 
cattle,  and  by  many  it  is  regarded  as  our  largest  breed.  Records 
for  two  years  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  and  the 
American  Royal  at  Kansas  City  gave  the  following  weights * : 
41  aged  bulls  averaged  2224  pounds,  40  two-year-old  bulls  1917 
pounds,  41  -aged  cows  1730  pounds,  and  46  two-year-olds  1530 
pounds.  These,  being  show  animals,  of  course  were  in  high  condi- 
tion. Under  fair  conditions  mature  cows  will  usually  weigh  about 
1400  pounds,  though  they  frequently  exceed  that  and,  in  rare 

1  B.  O.  Cowan,  Breeders'  Gazette,  October  9,  1912. 


THE  SHORTHORN  231 

cases,  reach  2000  pounds.  The  mature  bull  will  easily  attain  1800 
to  2000  pounds  ;  many  weigh  from  2000  to  2200,  and  weights 
upward  to  2500  occur,  though  the  latter  figure  is  infrequent.  The 
Hereford  is  a  close  second  to  the  Shorthorn  in  size,  with  na 
great  difference  between  the  two  breeds. 

The  Shorthorn  as  a  beef  producer  stands  in  the  first  class.  The 
men  who  have  attained  the  most  fame  as  Shorthorn  breeders  have 
always  emphasized  the  value  of  this  breed  in  producing  the  best 
of  beef  on  a  profitable  basis.  There  have  been  cases  where  great 
breeders  —  like  Bates,  for  example  —  laid  stress  on  the  impor- 
tance of  the  breed  in  milk  production,  but  this  was  not  to  be  at 
the  expense  of  the  meat-producing  qualities.  Cruickshank  and 
the  Scotch  school  of  Shorthorn  breeders,  however,  laid  more 
emphasis  on  the  value  of  the  breed  on  the  block,  the  final  test 
of  all  meat  animals.  In  the  leading  fat-stock  shows  of  Great 
Britain,  the  United  States,  Argentina,  and  Australia,  the  Short- 
horn far  outnumbers  any  other  breed,  while  in  the  stockyards 
Shorthorn  grades  greatly  predominate.  The  Shorthorn  produces 
a  class  of  beef  that  is  wide  in  the  loin,  thick,  wide,  and  long  in 
the  hind  quarters,  and  of  fine  fiber  or  quality.  If  compared  with 
the  Aberdeen-Angus  the  Shorthorn  will  not  dress  out  quite  as 
high,  perhaps,  in  percentage  of  meat  to  offal,  though  the  differ- 
ence is  not  large ;  also  the  dressed  carcass  of  the  Shorthorn  will 
show  somewhat  more  tallow  and  external  patches  of  fat  than  will 
the  Aberdeen-Angus.  In  a  study  of  the  gains  made  by  different 
breeds  of  steers  shown  at  the  Smithfield  Show  in  England  for 
twenty  years  (1895-1914),  Henry  and  Morrison  show1  that  the 
Shorthorn  ranked  at  the  very  top  among  eleven  breeds.  Eighty-five 
yearling  steers,  averaging  six  hundred  and  seventy-four  days  old 
and  1446  pounds  weight,  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  2.14 
pounds.  Ninety-one  two-year-olds,  averaging  one  thousand  and 
twelve  days  old  and  1901  pounds  in  weight,  made  an  average 
daily  gain  of  1.88  pounds.  Four  three-year-olds  showed  an  average 
weight  of  2363  pounds  and  a  daily  gain  for  thirteen  hundred  and 
fifty-three  days  of  1.74  pounds.  No  other  breed  showed  as  high 
a  gain  at  two  or  three  years  as  the  Shorthorn.  In  the  carcass 

1  Feeds  and  Feeding  (1915),  p.  445.  Compiled  from  The  Live  Stock  Journal, 
London. 


232 


CATTLE 


contests  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  the  Shorthorn 
has  held  a  very  secondary  position,  largely,  however,  because  of 
lack  of  breed  competition.  In  the  open  market  the  breed  or  its 
grades  are  prime  favorites  and  bring  among  the  top  values.  One  of 
the  most  notable  market  records  was  on  September  24,  1918,  when 
ninety-one  Shorthorn  steer  calves  averaging  1001  pounds  sold 
on  the  Chicago  market  at  $19.25  per  hundredweight,  bringing  an 


FIG.  92.  Merry  Monarch,  champion  Shorthorn  and  grand-champion  steer  over 
all  breeds,  grades  and  crossbreds,  at  the  1917  International  Live-Stock  Exposition. 
Bred  and  shown  by  Purdue  University,  Lafayette,  Indiana.  The  most  beautiful 
Shorthorn  steer  in  the  history  of  the  International  up  to  1917-  From  photograph 
by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Purdue  University 

average  of  $192.69  per  head.  On  October  4,  1918,  Hay  Brown 
of  Illinois  sold  a  load  of  steers  averaging  1017  pounds  at  $19.60, 
the  top  price  for  baby  beef  on  the  Chicago  market  up  to  this 
time.  In  1909  the  grand-champion  carload  of  steers  were  Short- 
horn yearlings  shown  by  Keays  and  Oglesby  of  Illinois. 

Xhe  Shorthorn  steer  in  the  show  ring  has  made  an  impressive  ex- 
hibit, but  has  played  a  minor  part  in  grand-championship  honors 
since  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  was  established. 


THE  SHORTHORN 


233 


At  the  old  American  Fat  Stock  Show  held  at  Chicago  from 
1878  to  1892  the  Shorthorn  made  the  strongest  show  of  any 
breed,  the  white  steer  Clarence  Kirklevington,  in  1884,  creating  a 
great  sensation.  At  the  International,  the  successor  of  the 
American,  each  year  since  1900  there  has  been  a  notable  show. 
Only  twice  in  seventeen  annual  shows  has  the  Shorthorn  won 
grand-championship  honors  in  the  single-steer  classes,  this  being 


FIG.  93.  Shorthorn  steer  herd  of  Purdue  University,  Lafayette,  Indiana.  Cham- 
pion herd  at  the  1918  International  Live-Stock  Exposition.  Bred  and  shown 
by  Purdue  University  and  sired  by  Lavender  Sultan  354171.  From  photograph 

by  J.  C.  Allen 

in  1907  with  Roan  King  (shown  by  James  Leask  of  Canada)  and 
in  1917  with  Merry  Monarch  (shown  by  Purdue  University  of 
Indiana).  This  latter  steer  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  very  finest 
specimens  of  the  breed  ever  seen  in  America,  showing  superior 
breed  character,  quality,  condition,  and  finish.  In  1916,  at  the 
Palermo  show  in  Argentina,  the  Shorthorn  steer  Luis,  weighing 
1685  pounds  at  thirty-five  months  and  made  grand  champion, 
sold  for  approximately  $11,130  in  gold.  While  the  Shorthorn 
grade  or  crossbred  meets  with  distinct  favor  in  the  market,  in  the 
show  ring  it  has,  as  a  rule,  stood  second  to  the  Aberdeen-Angus. 


234 


CATTLE 


The  importance  of  the  Shorthorn  in  grading  or  crossing,  in  spite 
of  what  is  brought  out  in  the  show-ring  steer  test,  is  most  impor- 
tant. No  other  breed  thus  far  has  done  so  much  to  improve  beef 
stock.  Shorthorn  bulls  mated  to  grade  cows  have  revolutionized 
the  character  of  the  meat  stock  of  the  world.  All  over  America 
to-day  herds  of  excellence  may  be  found,  — animals  graded  up  by 
Shorthorn  bulls.  In  the  principal  stockyards  of  America  the 


FIG.  94.    Shorthorn  steer  calf,  second  prize  in  1918  at  the  Wisconsin  Baby  Beef 

Show.    Fitted  and  shown  by  Josephine  Herr,  Lodi,  Wisconsin.   From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association,  Chicago,  Illinois 

blood  of  this  breed  predominates,  and  well-finished,  high-grade 
Shorthorn  steers  are  always  at  a  premium  with  the  butcher.  In 
Scotland  and  England  white  Shorthorn  bulls  bred  on  Galloway  or 
Angus  cows  produce  what  are  termed  "  blue  grays,"  which,  as  steers, 
meet  with  the  highest  market  favor,  being  steel  gray  in  color  and 
showing  much  quality  and  superior  killing  value.  On  the  Western 
range  the  Shorthorn  has  been  a  potent  factor  in  improving  the 
common  native  stock.  Within  what  is  known  as  the  corn  belt,  in 
the  Mississippi  Valley,  no  other  class  of  steers  is  so  universal. 


THE  SHORTHORN 


235 


The  Shorthorn  from  the  dairy  point  of  view  ranks  high.  In 
England  a  great  percentage  of  the  dairy  herds  are  of  Shorthorn 
blood.  As  one  crosses  the  midland  and  southern  counties  he 
may  see  large  numbers  of  Shorthorns  with  udders  indicating  great 
milking  capacity.  Much  of  the  milk  shipped  into  London  comes 
from  Shorthorn  herds.  The  author  visited  one  farm  in  Berkshire 
where  some  five  hundred  cows  of  this  breed  were  milked  daily 
and  the  product  shipped  to  London.  In  the  United  States  many 
farmers,  notably  in  the  Central  West,  rely  upon  Shorthorn  cows 
for  their  milk  supply.  As  has  been  already  indicated,  as  a  result  of 
hereditary  transmission  and  the  early  breeding  of  Bates  and  others, 
the  Shorthorn  produces  an  abundance  of  milk.  No  beef  breed  equals 
it.  Shorthorns  generally  may  be  in  a  measure  grouped  into  two 
classes — the  beefy  type  and  the  general-purpose  sort.  As  a  rule,  it 
is  true,  the  latter  class  will  not  fatten  as  easily  and  does  not  present 
the  beef  conformation  in  as  high  a  degree  as  does  the  former. 
Even  then  the  beefy  class  of  Shorthorn  surpasses  the  Hereford, 
Aberdeen-Angus,  and  Galloway  in  furnishing  milk  for  its  offspring. 

Official  public-dairy  tests  of  Shorthorn  cows  have  been  under- 
taken on  three  occasions  in  the  United  States  —  in  1893  at  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  in  1901  at  the  Pan- 
American  Exposition  at  Buffalo,  and  in  1904  at  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition  at  St.  Louis.  These  were  each  under  official 
supervision  of  dairy  scientists  of  note  and  superintendents  repre- 
senting the  different  breeds.  At  the  World's  Columbian  Exposi- 
tion, Shorthorns  competed  against  herds  of  Jerseys  and  Guernseys. 
In  the  cheese-making  test  of  fourteen  days  the  Shorthorn  ranked 
third,  producing  12,186.9  pounds  milk,  from  which  was  made 
1077.6  pounds  cheese.  The  Shorthorn  cow  Nora  stood  second 
to  a  Jersey,  producing  60.56  pounds  cheese  at  a  net  profit  of 
$6.27.  In  the  butter-making  test  for  ninety  days,  in  which  gain 
in  live  weight  was  credited,  the  following  results  were  secured  : 


BREED 

NUMBER 
OF  Cows 

MILK 
(pounds) 

BUTTER 
(pounds) 

GAIN  LIVE 
WEIGHT 

NET  PROFIT 

Jersey     .... 

25 

73,478.8 

4573-95 

776 

$1323.81 

Shorthorn  . 

23 

66,263.2 

2890.86 

2826 

911.13 

Guernsey    . 

25 

61,781.7 

3360.43 

466 

997-63 

236 


CATTLE 


This  was  a  very  creditable  showing,  especially  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  Shorthorns  were  not  selected  with  the  great  pains 
and  expense  that  the  Jerseys  were  and  did  not  represent  as  many 
high-class  dairy  specimens  as  did  the  other  breeds.  Professor 
James  Long  of  England,  who  inspected  the  cows,  reported  on  his 
return  home  that  in  England  they  would  not  rank  high  as  dairy 
Shorthorns.  In  this  test  the  cow  Nora  made  3679.8  pounds  milk, 


FIG.  95.    A  fine  example  of  a  milking  Shorthorn  on  an  English  pasture.    From 
photograph  by  the  author 

yielding  160.57  pounds  butter,  and  gained  115  pounds ;  while  the 
Jersey  cow  Brown  Bessie,  which  led  this  breed,  made  3634  pounds 
milk,  yielding  216.66  pounds  butter,  and  gained  81  pounds  live 
weight.  In  a  thirty-day  butter  test  at  the  Columbian  24  Short 
horns  made  15,618.3  pounds  milk,  yielding  662.66  pounds  butter, 
at  a  net  profit  of  $119.13.  Both  Jersey  and  Guernsey  made  less 
milk,  but  more  butter  and  a  greater  net  profit.  In  this  test  the  best 
Shorthorn  cow  was  Kitty  Clay  4th.  She  produced  1592.8  pounds 
milk,  yielding  62.24  pounds  butter,  showing  a  net  profit  of  $19.57. 
In  a  fourth  test,  of  one  week,  six  Shorthorn  heifers  under  three 


THE  SHORTHORN  237 

years  old  competed  with  six  Jersey  heifers,  the  Shorthorns  produc- 
ing 2581  pounds  milk,  yielding  122.36  pounds  butter,  at  a  net 
profit  of  $47.42  ;  the  Jerseys  gave  3356.6  pounds  milk,  yielding 
194.22  pounds  butter  and  a  net  profit  of  $56.27. 

In  1901,  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition,  between  May  I  and 
October  31,  five  Shorthorn  cows  produced  a  total  of  1307.55 
pounds  churned  butter,  yielding  a  net  profit  of  $164.77.  This 
gave  the  Shorthorn  eighth  place  among  ten  breeds,  although  in 
value  of  total  solids  these  cows  stood  sixth,  and  in  value  of  solids 
and  gain  in  live  weight  the  Shorthorns  ranked  third.  In  1904, 
at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  more  satisfactory  returns 
were  secured  than  from  either  of  the  other  two  tests.  In  a  trial 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  days,  in  which  twenty  Shorthorns  were 
carried  entirely  through,  the  cows  made  an  average  of  4421.6 
pounds  milk,  165.3  pounds  butter  fat,  382.7  pounds  solids  not  fat, 
and  an  average  gain  in  weight  during  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
days  of  105.3  pounds. 

Important  milk  records  of  Shorthorn  cows  demonstrate  great 
producing  capacity.  Rose  of  Glenside,  long  the  milking  champion 
of  the  breed,  produced  18,075  pounds  of  milk  in  a  year.  Doris 
Clay,  on  January  22,  1917,  finished  a  year's  record  of  1 7,241  i 
pounds  of  milk.  Belle  Clare,  from  January  26,  1910,  to  January 
25,  1911,  produced  15,215  pounds  of  milk  and  in  May  averaged 
nearly  60  pounds  daily.  There  have  been  some  remarkable  records 
extending  through  a  period  of  years.  Darlington  Cranford  5th  gave 
over  100,000  pounds  of  milk  in  ten  years.  Dorothy,  a  daughter 
of  Darlington  Cranford  4th,  averaged  10,536  pounds  of  milk  for 
eleven  years.  Blossom  5th  averaged  8,652.3  pounds  for  ten  years. 
Doris  Clay  dropped  10  calves  in  ten  years  and  produced  during 
this  period  70,856  pounds  of  milk.  Mamie  Clay  2d,  beginning  as 
a  two-year-old,  made  an  average  of  10,640  pounds  of  milk  per 
year  for  five  years.  Volumes  I  and  II  of  the  "  Milking  Shorthorn 
Yearbook  "  contain  the  records  of  427  cows  of  all  ages,  and  these  pro- 
duced an  average  yield  of  8823  pounds  9  ounces  of  milk.  Vol- 
ume IV  for  1919  contains  107  records,  the  greatest  of  which  is  of 
14,001 .6  pounds  of  milk  and  545 .44  pounds  of  fat  by  the  cow  Odette 
(v.  66,  p.  772).  In  recent  years  milking  Shorthorns  have  greatly 
increased  in  popularity,  and  through  careful  selective  breeding 


CATTLE 


have  come  these  very  high-class  records.  Mr.  George  Taylor,  long 
noted  as  a  breeder  of  milking  Shorthorns  in  England,  stated  1  that 
when  he  first  started  keeping  the  milk  records  his  herd  average 
was  not  600  gallons2  annually.  "  Now  it  exceeds  800  gallons,  and 
I  rarely  keep  a  cow  that  does  not  yield  700  gallons  per  year." 
Late  in  1918  the  statement  was  published  in  England  that  the  cow 


FIG.  96.  White  Queen,  an  imported  dairy  Shorthorn  cow,  bought  by  C.  A.  Otis, 

Willoughby,  Ohio,  for  $3000.    She  has  a  milk  record  of  10,430  pounds  for  one 

year.   From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Otis 

Waterloo  Baroness  2d,  calved  in  1908  and  bred  by  Mr.  Taylor, 
had  produced  62,601  pounds  of  milk  and  6  calves  in  six  years. 

Important  butter-fat  records  of  Shorthorn  cows  are  naturally 
associated  with  large  milk  production,  but  many  of  the  milk 
records  have  not  involved  fat  tests.  The  world's  record  in  butter- 
fat  production  for  a  Shorthorn  cow  is  reported  late  in  191 7. 3 

1  Live  Stock  Journal  (London),  December  31,  1909. 

2  The  English  gallon  is  equal  to  ten  pounds. 

8  Agricultural  Gazette  of  New  South  Wales,  December  3,  1917. 


THE  SHORTHORN  239 

The  cow  Melba  VII,  for  a  period  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 
days,  is  credited  with  a  yield  of  17,364  pounds  of  milk  containing 
868  pounds  of  fat,  equal  to  1021.59  pounds  estimated  butter. 
Her  milk  showed  an  average  test  of  5  per  cent  fat.  This  cow  was 
bred  by  and  is  owned  by  the  Scottish- Australian  Investment  Com- 
pany, Gundgai,  New  South  Wales.  The  most  notable  test  in  the 
United  States  was  by  Rose  of  Glenside,  which,  on  March  2,  1910, 
completed  an  official  yearly  record,  producing  735  pounds  of  butter 
fat,  or  2.01  pounds  per  day.  The  cow  Ruby  produced  715  pounds, 
Buttercup  2d  657.7  pounds,  and  Doris  Clay  653.35  pounds  of 
butter  fat  in  a  year.  Four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  cows  recorded 
in  Volumes  I  and  II  of  the  "  Milking  Shorthorn  Yearbook  "  show 
an  average  yearly  fat  record  of  330.2  pounds. 

The  Shorthorn  for  early  maturity  ranks  among  the  best  of  the 
beef  breeds,  though  up  to  twelve  months  of  age  it  is  probably 
slightly  surpassed  by  the  Aberdeen- Angus  and  Hereford.  Records 
of  pure-bred  steer  weights  secured  at  the  International  Live-Stock 
Exposition,  covering  1910  and  1911,  showed  an  average  weight 
for  29  Angus  calves  at  1008  pounds  and  31  Shorthorns  at  911 
pounds.1  After  passing  the  calf  age  the  Shorthorn  attains  a  weight 
equaling  or  surpassing  the  other  breeds.  Maturity  is  also  more  or 
less  influenced  by  the  family  blood  lines,  and  no  doubt  the  popu- 
lar Scotch  tribes  come  on  faster  as  baby  beef  than  do  the  plainer, 
more  upstanding  sort. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Shorthorn  to  a  wide  range  of  conditions 
is  probably  unsurpassed.  Prominent  herds  are  found  on  the  low- 
lands, the  uplands,  in  the  colder  north,  the  warmer  south,  on 
rich  pastures  and  those  not  so  desirable.  While  a  popular  breed 
with  the  small  farmer,  so  is  it  also  a  favorite  on  the  range  of  the 
great  West  and  on  the  vast  grazing  fields  of  Argentina. 

The  temperament  of  the  Shorthorn  is  notably  phlegmatic  and 
quiet,  such  as  might  be  expected  in  the  beef  type.  In  disposition 
it  may  be  fairly  claimed  that  of  all  the  beef  breeds  this  is  the 
quietest  and  most  easily  handled.  In  the  writer's  personal  contact 
with  the  different  breeds  the  Shorthorn  has  manifested  in  a 
pronounced  degree  a  quiet  disposition  and  ease  of  control  under 
a  variety  of  conditions. 

*B.  O.  Cowan,  Breeders'  Gazette,  October  9,  1912. 


240 


CATTLE 


The  prolificacy  of  the  Shorthorn  is  fairly  comparable  with  the 
other  beef  breeds.  There  are  many  examples  to  be  found  of 
Shorthorn  cows  that  have  during  long  lives  dropped  many  calves, 
and  twins  are  not  so  uncommon  with  the  breed  as  to  be  remark- 
able. In  early  days  the  Duchess  family,  as  promoted  by  Bates, 
was  subject  to  considerable  criticism  for  lack  of  fecundity,  but  this 
criticism  did  not  have  a  wide  application  to  the  breed.  A  remark- 
ably prolific  grade  Shorthorn  cow  that  had  dropped  twenty-two 
calves  is  reported  by  George  Winsak  of  Montana.  Evan  Baillie  of 

England  reports  in  the 
Live  Stock  Journal 
(London)  on  the  cow 
Lady  Oxford  Kirkle- 
vington,  that  at  twelve 
years  had  dropped 
eleven  calves,  all  sin- 
gles. Her  dam,  Kirk- 
levington  8th,  had  five 
daughters  in  succes- 
sion and  has  handed 
down  such  a  tendency 
to  female  produce  that 
her  youngest  grand- 
daughter is  the  forty- 

FiG.  97.    A  fine  Shorthorn  matron  and  calf  on  an       Seventh  female. 

Ohio  pasture.    From  photograph  by  the  author  The    prepotency    of 

the  Shorthorn  is  very 

marked,  a  characteristic  feature  of  the  long-established  breed. 
Shorthorn  bulls  used  on  grade  herds  reproduce  the  dominant 
features  of  the  breed  in  no  uncertain  measure.  Shorthorn  pre- 
potency is  shown  in  two  striking  ways  —  in  the  large  pure-bred 
herd,  where  females  of  various  tribes  are  brought  together,  and 
in  the  important  stockyards,  where  large  numbers  of  Shorthorn 
grades  are  to  be  seen.  In  either  case  the  outstanding  features 
of  the  breed  are  clearly  to  be  seen. 

Notable  recent  American  Shorthorn  sires.  The  history  of  the 
Shorthorn  is  necessarily  associated  with  many  sires  of  distinct 
importance.  Among  those  that  may  be  regarded  as  leaders  since 


THE  SHORTHORN  241 

1900,  are  the  following  fifteen.1  Those  marked  with  a  star  (*) 
were  bred  in  Great  Britain.  Each  sire  received  32  points  for 
each  first  prize  winner,  16  for  each  second  or  third  sired  by  him, 
and  8  for  each  first  prize  or  4  for  each  second  or  third  of  which 
he  was  grandsire,  and  2  points  for  each  first  or  I  point  for  each 
second  or  third  of  which  he  was  great  grandsire.  (i)  Whitehall 
Stdtan  163573,  calved  1900,  points  979;  (2)  Avondale  245144, 
calved  1905,  points  709;  (3)  Choice  Goods  18602*,  calved  1899, 
points  525  ;  (4)  Cumberland's  Last  118578,  calved  1904,  points 
365  ;  (5)  March  Knight  188105,  calved  1902,  points  353  ;  (6)  Vil- 
lager 295884,  calved  1906,  points  310;  (7)  Glenbrook  Sultan 
243185,  calved  1904,  points  292;  (8)  Bapton  Sultan  163570*, 
calved  1898,  points  267;  (9)  The-Lad-for-Me  140618,  calved 
1897,  points  213;  (10)  Whitehall  Marshall  209775,  calved 
1902,  points  205  ;  (n)  Conqueror  149048*,  calved  1899,  points 
189;  (12)  Hamptons  Best  170818,  calved  1900,  points  1 80; 
(13)  Nonpareil  Victor  132573*,  calved  1896,  points  175  ;  (14)  Lord 
Lovat  130157,  calved  1896,  points  I/I  ;  (15)  Gallant  Knight 
124468,  calved  1896,  points  160.  Whitehall  Sultan  and  his  son 
Avondale  may  be  regarded  as  two  of  the  greatest  sires  of  the 
past  quarter  of  a  century. 

Famous  Shorthorn  cows  of  recent  years.  Among  the  great 
show  and  producing  cows  of  the  present  century  may  be 
mentioned  the  following,  each  of  which  has  produced  a  grand 
champion:  Avalanche  2d  (v.  60,  p.  655),  Bapton  Pearl  (v.  48, 
p.  368),  Dorothea  (v.  45,  p.  645),  Emma  32d  (v.  46,  p.  714), 
Geraldine  $th  (v.  41,  p.  354  E),  Lady -in- Waiting  (v.  44,  p.  632), 
Lady  Marjory  (v.  48,  p.  406),  Maxwalton  Mina  2d  86601, 
Rosewood  Pride  (v.  60,  p.  655),  Ruberta  (v.  45,  p.  1084). 

The  prices  paid  for  Shorthorns  have  attained  figures  far  beyond 
the  expectations  of  the  most  ardent  admirers  of  this  great  breed. 
For  over  a  century  high  prices  have  been  obtained  at  both  private 
and  public  sales,  with  records  of  new  high  points  during  the  days 
of  the  World  War.  Many  bulls  have  changed  hands  at  $5000 

1  These  relative  positions  are  based  on  prizes  won  at  the  American  Royal  and 
the  International  Live- Stock  Exposition  by  descendants  included  within  three 
generations  and  from  1903  to  1915  inclusive.  Information  furnished  by  the 
courtesy  of  Professor  Gilbert  Gusler  of  Illinois  University. 


242 


CATTLE 


each  since  the  time  of  Charles  Ceiling's  sale  in  181 1,  when  Comet 
was  the  first  to  bring  this  figure.  The  sale  of  Walcott  and 
Campbell,  held  September  10,  1873,  at  New  York  Mills,  New 
York,  was  for  forty-five  years  the  record-breaking  Shorthorn  sale 
of  history,  when  109  animals  sold  for  $381,990,  an  average  of 
$3504.  The  cow  Eighth  Duchess  of  Geneva  brought  $40,600, 
the  highest  price  paid  for  cow  or  bull,  until  1918,  while  18  other 
animals  ranged  from  $5000  up  to  $35,000  each,  the  latter  being  the 
price  paid  for  Tenth  Duchess  of  Geneva.  The  bull  Second  Duke 
of  Oneida  brought  $12,000.  In  1869  Daniel  McMillan  sold  at 

t t     Xenia,  Ohio,  at  auction 

71  head  which  aver- 
aged $864.61,  while 
in  1874  Colonel  W. 
S.  King  of  Minnesota 
sold  in  Chicago  79 
head  at  an  average  of 
$  1 628,  the  bull  Second 
Duke  of  Hillhurst  sell- 
ing at  $14,000.  Be- 
tween 1870  and  1880 
there  were  sold  at  auc- 
tion in  this  country 
26,151  Shorthorns  at 

an  average  price  of  $294  per  head.  Between  1891  and  1900, 
during  a  period  of  great  depression  in  beef-cattle  prices,  the 
Kansas  Board  of  Agriculture  reports  15,741  head  sold  at  auction 
at  an  average  price  of  $138.41.  In  recent  years  Shorthorn  values 
have  greatly  increased,  and  thousands  of  animals  have  changed 
hands  at  figures  exceeding  $1000  or  more.  In  1910  Thomas 
Stanton  sold  the  bull  Prince  Imperial  325711  for  $10,000  to 
George  J.  Sayers.  In  1915  the  bull  Americus,  champion  at  the 
Palermo  show  in  Argentina  in  1913,  sold  to  Senor  Ginnochio 
for  about  $33,000  in  gold.  On  December  I,  1917,  at  the  sale 
of  Frank  Harding  of  Wisconsin,  the  bull  Anoka  Champion 
555857  sold  to  B.  F.  Hales  for  $17,000.  At  this  sale  fourteen 
bulls  averaged  $2607,  thirty-one  females  $1073,  and  forty-five 
head  $1551.  A  year  later  Mr.  Harding  sold  48  head  for  an 


FIG.  98.     Pride  of   Morning  (120551),  by   Star  of 

Morning  (121243).    At  one  time  leading  stock  bull 

in  the  herd  of  William  Duthie,  Scotland.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 


THE  SHORTHORN  243 

average  of  $1865,  and  13  bulls  averaged  $3457,  one  of  which, 
Anoka  Omega  698327,  brought  $12,000.  In  a  sale  of  Carpenter 
&  Ross  of  Ohio  at  Chicago  on  June  20,  1918,  sixteen  bulls 
averaged  $2800,  one  hundred  and  six  females  $1386,  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty-two  in  all  brought  a  total  of  $192,982,  or 
an  average  of  $1370.  In  this  sale  H.  S.  Black  of  Mansfield, 
Ohio,  paid  $20,000  for  the  yearling  bull  Rodney.  In  a  sale  held 
by  this  same  firm  June  24  and  25,  1919,  in  Chicago,  38  bulls 
averaged  $3484,  while  172  head  of  both  sexes  brought  a  total  of 
$378,505,  or  an  average  of  $2200.  The  imported  yearling  bull 
Cudham  Dreadnought  was  sold  to  Hay  Brown  of  Illinois  for 
$19,500.  In  June,  1918,  Bellows  Brothers  of  Missouri  sold  65 
head  for  an  average  of  $1709,  the  bull  Village  Supreme  423865 
bringing  $16,500.  On  May  15,  1919,  H.  C.  Lookabaugh, 
Watonga,  Oklahoma,  sold  38  head  for  $111,850,  an  average  of 
$2943.  Three  bulls  averaged  $10,316,  and  one  of  them,  Fair 
Acres  Sultan  Jr.  596263,  brought  $17,250.  According  to  "The 
Shorthorn  in  America"  11,011  Shorthorns  were  sold  in  America 
at  199  public  sales,  during  1918',  for  $5,664,936,  or  at  an  average 
of  $514.  According  to  Mr.  F.  P.  Mathews,1  in  1916  there  were 
sold  in  England  5838  Shorthorns  for  the  average  price  of  about 
$300  per  head.  Among  the  greatest  Shorthorn  sales  in  .recent 
years  have  been  those  held  in  North  Scotland,  more  especially 
the  bull  sales  of  Mr.  William  Duthie.  In  1915  eighteen  Short- 
horn bull  calves  of  Mr.  Duthie  averaged  $1744,  in  1916  twenty- 
three  averaged  $3083,  in  1917  twenty-four  averaged  $3279.50, 
and  in  1918  twenty  averaged  about  $5450.  At  the  1917  sale  the 
calf  Collynie  Lavender  King  brought  $14,175.  At  the  Perth, 
Scotland,  sales  in  February,  1918,  there  were  sold  434  bulls  at 
an  average  price  of  $772.  Two  bulls  made  high  records  in  the 
Scotch  sales  at  this  time — Pride  of  Millhills  at  Perth  bringing 
$16,275  and  Proud  Conqueror  at  Aberdeen,  $16,800.  At  the 
1919  February  sales  abroad  Cluny  Proud  Augustus  at  Perth  sold 
for  $20,000,  Pierrepont  Golden  Prince  and  Windsor  Knight  at 
Birmingham  each  brought  $21,000,  and  Gartley  Lancer  at  Penrith 
topped  all  British  records  at  $23,750.  In  recent  years  milking 
Shorthorns  have  also  brought  very  high  prices.  In  October,  1916, 

1  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac  (1917),  p.  94. 


244 


CATTLE 


at  the  sale  of  Samuel  Sandy  in  England,  115  head  brought  an  aver- 
age of  $605.  In  May,  1917,  at  the  sale  of  L.  D.  May  of  Penn- 
sylvania, 39  milking  Shorthorns  averaged  $1008,  one  of  which, 
White  Queen,  sold  for  $3000.  On  June  21,  1918,  Arnold  Wills 
of  Northampton,  England,  sold  56  head  for  an  average  of  $1 140, 
with  the  high  price  of  $10,000  for  the  yearling  bull  Thornby 


*•/ 


FIG.  99.     Milking    Shorthorn   bull   Waterloo    Clay,   weight    2300  pounds.    The 

property  of  Flintstone  Farm,  Dalton,  Massachusetts.   Grand  champion  at  Eastern 

States  Exposition,  1917 

Premier,  paid  by  Sir  Gilbert  Greenall.  In  October,  1918,  there 
were  sold  68  dairy  Shorthorns  by  R.  W.  Hobbs  &  Sons  of  Kelm- 
scott,  Lechlade,  England,  for  the  high  average  price  of  $1155. 
The  geographical  distribution  of  the  Shorthorn  is  most  wide- 
spread, no  other  breed  equaling  it  in  this  respect.  It  is  so  well 
suited  to  a  wide  range  of  conditions  and  has  been  so  extensively 
distributed  that  it  has  been  termed  "  the  -universal  intruder." 
It  is  generally  found  in  North  America  ;  in  South  America,  more 
particularly  in  Argentina  ;  in  Europe,  being  the  most  promi- 
nent breed  on  the  British  Isles,  although  bred  to  some  extent  on 
the  Continent ;  in  Australasia,  where  it  has  long  met  with  favor ; 


THE  SHORTHORN  245 

and  to  some  extent  in  South  Africa  and  Asia.  In  the  United 
States  the  Shorthorn  is  the  most  popular  breed  of  cattle,  as 
attendance  at  the  great  shows,  especially  in  the  states  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  north  of  the  Ohio,  will  demonstrate.  In  a 
statement  from  the  office  of  the  American  Shorthorn  Breeders' 
Association,  giving  the  distribution  of  breeders  in  the  United 
States  registering  pure-bred  Shorthorns,  it  is  shown  that  20,871 
breeders  are  distributed  in  forty-five  states,  the  ten  leading  states 
being  as  follows  :  Iowa,  4070;  Illinois,  1885;  Nebraska,  1740; 
Missouri,  1625  ;  Minnesota,  1520;  Kansas,  1285  ;  South  Dakota, 
1155;  Indiana,  1 100  ;  Ohio,  945  ;  Wisconsin,  760.  This  evidence 
of  wide  distribution  speaks  well  for  the  adaptability  of  the  breed. 
However,  on  the  Western  range,  under  severe  weather  conditions 
and  where  "  roughing  it "  is  required,  the  Shorthorn  will  not 
thrive  as  well  as  the  Hereford  or  Galloway. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Shorthorn  cattle  precede 
all  other  breeding  associations  for  meat-producing  animals.  The 
first  live-stock  registry  for  cattle  was  the  "  Shorthorn  Herdbook," 
published  by  George  Coates  of  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1822.  This 
forms  the  foundation  of  the  English  "  Shorthorn  Herdbook," 
known  as  "  Coates's  Herdbook,"  which  in  1918  attained  its  sixty- 
third  volume.  Mr.  Coates  edited  the  first  five  volumes,  when, 
owing  to  his  death  in  1846,  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  H.  Straff ord, 
who  served  as  editor  of  the  next  fifteen  volumes.  In  1876  the 
Shorthorn  Society  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  assumed  control  of  the  publication  of  the  herdbook,  and 
through  its  editing  committee  has  ever  since  maintained  super- 
vision of  the  records  of  the  society.  The  first  volume  of  the 
"American  Shorthorn  Herdbook"  appeared  in  1846,  being 
published  by  Lewis  F.  Allen  of  New  York.  In  1869  the 
"American  Shorthorn  Record"  first  appeared,  being  published 
by  A.  J.  Alexander  of  Kentucky,  and  ten  volumes  were  issued. 
In  1878  the  Ohio  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association  published  a 
record  and  followed  it  with  two  others.  In  1882  the  American 
Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association  absorbed  these  and  continued 
the  publication  of  the  old  herdbook  established  by  Allen.  The 
"Canadian  Shorthorn  Herdbook"  first  appeared  in  1867,  the 
"British  American  Shorthorn  Herdbook"  appeared  in  1881, 


246  CATTLE 

and  the  "  Dominion  Shorthorn  Herdbook "  in  1887,  the  latter 
absorbing  the  other  two.  The  "American  Shorthorn  Herdbook  " 
up  to  1919  numbers  ninety-three  volumes,  and  new  volumes  are 
appearing  yearly.  Already  over  700,000  Shorthorns  have  been 
registered  in  the  United  States,  and  250,000  in  Canada.  Milk- 
ing Shorthorns  in  England  are  generally  registered  in  "  Coates's 
Herdbook,"  of  which  there  is  a  dairy  association  branch  that 
supervises  the  official  testing  of  the  cows.  In  the  United  States 
the  American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association  provides  for  test- 
ing for  advanced  registry  milking  cows  of  the  breed  and  pub- 
lishes yearly  reports  of  official  records.  In  1915  there  was  also 


FIG.  100.    Shorthorns  of  the  royal  house  on  the  pasture  at  Windsor,  England. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

organized  in  the  United  States,  at  the  Minnesota  State  Fair,  an 
American  Milking  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association.  Shorthorn 
associations  exist  in  Argentina,  in  Australia,  and  in  France,  and 
herdbooks  are  published  in  these  countries.  A  number  of  local 
Shorthorn  breeders'  associations  have  been  organized  in  different 
states,  these  being  as  a  rule  in  the  nature  of  community  breeders' 
associations.  These  are  for  promoting  the  breed  in  various  ways, 
but  more  especially  for  fostering  combination  sales.  Important 
service  in  behalf  of  the  Shorthorn,  in  the  way  of  publicity,  is  being 
rendered  through  a  quarterly  periodical  published  by  the  American 
association,  under  the  title  of  The  Shorthorn  in  America,  the  first 
number  appearing  in  April,  1916.  The  Shorthorn  World,  pub- 
lished in  Chicago,  the  first  number  appearing  in  March,  1916,  is 
a  commendable  journal  devoted  to  this  breed. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  POLLED  SHORTHORN 

The  origin  of  the  Polled  Shorthorn.    In  consideration  of  the  fact 

that  Polled  Shorthorn  cattle  are  either  pure-bred  Shorthorns  or 

^ff 
nearly  so,  the^^prar  does  not  regard  it  as  necessary  to  devote 

much  -spgfjjji^hem  other  than  historical. 

The  "single  standard "  Polled  Durham  was  the  first  type  of 
hornless  Shorthorn  to  attract  attention  in  America.  This  is  the 
result  of  uniting  native  mulley  cows  with  pure-bred  Shorthorn 
bulls.  Cattle  of  such  blood  lines  are  quite  commonly  designated 
as  "  single  standard "  because  of  being  eligible  to  registration 
only  in  the  "  Polled  Durham  Herdbook."  When  the  movement 
for  dehorning  got  well  started  nearly  twenty  years  ago,  men  here 
and  there  began  to  seek  combinations  by  which  the  horns  might 
be  bred  off.  Some  men  who  were  breeders  of  Shorthorns  or 
who  believed  in  the  Shorthorn  type  sought  to  breed  hornless 
cattle.  Among  the  pioneers  in  this  work  were  W.  S.  Miller, 
Dr.  W.  W.  Crane,  R.  Clawson,  and  Peter  Shafer  of  Ohio,  J.  F. 
Burleigh  of  Illinois,  J.  H.  Miller  of  Indiana,  ajid  T.  Dunham  of 
Iowa.  These  men  used  pure  Shorthorn  bulls  on  mulley  cows  of 
Shorthorn  type  and  so  finally  developed  what  they  termed  the 
Polled  Durham  breed.  Cattle  of  this  breeding  were  quite  like 
Shorthorns,  tending  toward  the  dual-purpose  type,  were  inclined 
to  be  leggy,  and  hardly  met  the  demands  of  the  Shorthorn 
critics  for  thickness  of  flesh.  Those  that  had  true  polled  heads 
were  used  for  breeding,  and  thus  gradually  were  developed,  mainly 
in  western  Ohio,  herds  of  Polled  Durham  cattle. 

The  "  double  standard  "  Polled  Shorthorn  represents  the  demand 
of  Shorthorn  breeders  and  others  for  a  pure  hornless  class  of 
Shorthorn  cattle.  These  are  often  termed  "  double  standard " 
because  of  being  eligible  to  registration  in  both  the  "  American 
Shorthorn  Herdbook "  and  the  "  Polled  Shorthorn  Herdbook." 
Very  naturally,  with  the  development  of  the  "  single  standard  " 

247 


248 


CATTLE 


class,  breeders  began  to  watch  for  pure-bred  Shorthorns  free  of 
horns.  This  branch  has  its  origin  in  several  Shorthorn  families, 
notably  the  White  Rose,  Young  Phyllis,  and  Gvvynne. 

The  cow  Oakwood  Gwynne  4th,  registered  in  Volume  XV  of 
the  "American  Shorthorn  Herdbook,"  was  bred  by  W.  S.  King 
of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  and  was  calved  May  12,  1873.  She 
had  but  very  slight  horns,  or  scurs,  being  almost  polled.  Bred  to 

Seventh  Duke  of  Hill- 
hurst  34221,  she  pro- 
duced twin  female 
calves,  Mollie  Gwynne 
and  Nellie  Gwynne 
(Vol.  XXIII,  p.  728), 
that  developed  true 
polled  heads.  When 
later  bred  to  Bright 
Eyes  Duke  3 1 894,  she 
produced  as  a  result  a 
red  bull  calf  that  was  a 
true  polled  animal  and 
which  was  recorded  as 
King  of  Kine  87412. 
In  1888  W.  S.  Miller 

FIG.  loi.  Sultan's  Creed  353694,  one  of  the  best  of  Elmore,  Ohio,  pur- 
Polled  Shorthorn  bulls  of  recent  years  and  a  very  ,  •,  ,  .  i 

noted  sire.     Bred   and   owned  by  J.  H.  Miller  &      chased      these 
Sons,  Peru,  Indiana.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy      offspring  of  Oakwood 
of  owners  Gwynne  4th,  and  with 

them  developed  a  herd 

of  pure  polled  Shorthorns.  King  of  Kine  was  used  in  the  herd 
three  years  and  proved  a  very  prepotent  sire,  some  90  per  cent 
of  his  calves  from  horned  cows  being  polled.  He  was  used  on 
cows  of  the  Rose  of  Sharon,  Young  Mary,  and  Phyllis  tribes 
with  much  success.  Then  a  son  of  his,  Ottawa  Duke  109292, 
out  of  Nellie  Gwynne,  was  used  in  the  herd,  and  all  his  off- 
spring proved  to  be  hornless.  Later  Ottawa  Duke  came  into 
the  possession  of  Dr.  W.  W.  Crane,  in  whose  herd  he  rendered 
valuable  service.  Ottawa  Duke  sired  Miami  Boy  116517  and 
Tippecanoe  4th  121365,  well-known  sires  in  the  Crane  herd. 


THE  POLLED  SHORTHORN  249 

Mr.  J.  H.  Miller  of  Indiana  early  became  a  celebrated  breeder  of 
Polled  Durhams  and  in  1893,  with  some  others,  made  at  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  the  first  notable  exhibit  of  this 
breed.  Mr.  Miller's  bull  Young  Hamilton  114169,  a  pure  Short- 
horn and  the  Columbian  Exposition  Polled  Durham  sweepstakes 
male,  rendered  valuable  pioneer  service  in  his  herd. 

The  important  requirements  for  registering  Polled  Shorthorn 
cattle,  as  originally  adopted  by  the  American  Polled  Durham 
Association,  were  as  follows :  (i)  they  must  have  true  polled 
heads ;  (2)  they  must  have  the  color  and  characteristic  markings 
of  the  Shorthorn  ;  (3)  they  must  have  not  less  than  87^-  per  cent 
of  Shorthorn  blood  in  1893,  at  least  93|  per  cent  after  1896,  and 
fully  96  J  per  cent  after  1899.  Volume  III  of  the  "American 
Polled  Durham  Herdbook,"  published  in  1905,  contains  the  by- 
laws of  the  American  Polled  Durham  Association  as  adopted 
April  29,  1902.  Section  X,  which  qualifies  registration  and 
covers  the  old  rule,  is  as  follows  : 

Animals  to  be  eligible  to  entry  in  the  "  American  Polled  Durham  Herdbook  " 
must  be  at  least  six  months  old ;  must  be  naturally  hornless ;  must  have 
both  parents  recorded  therein  or  have  one  parent  recorded  in  the  book  and 
the  other  parent  recorded  in  the  "American  Shorthorn  Herdbook"  or  other 
generally  accepted  Shorthorn  herdbook ;  and  further,  must  have  an  ancestry, 
that  are  eligible,  recorded  in'the  "American  Polled  Durham  Herdbook/' 

The  prepotency  of  the  Polled  Shorthorn  is  well  maintained  in 
herds  that  are  carefully  selected  and  bred  with  the  view  of  reduc- 
ing the  horn  to  a  minimum.  By  the  use  of  polled  bulls  of  pre- 
potent character  mated  to  Shorthorn  cows,  polled  females  are 
produced  that  become  eligible  to  entry  in  the  Polled  herdbook,  but 
the  progeny  thus  secured  offers  an  element  of  uncertainty  in  the 
reproduction  of  polled  heads. 

The  popularity  of  Polled  Shorthorns,  if  one  looks  at  the  situation 
frankly,  is  not  great.  In  Ohio,  where  one  might  expect  to  find 
Polled  Shorthorns  in  considerable  numbers,  there  are  comparatively 
few  herds.  They  have  seemed  more  in  favor  farther  west,  notably 
in  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  and  Nebraska.  One  reason  why  the 
Polled  Shorthorn  is  not  in  greater  favor  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
there  have  not  been  enough  outstanding  herds  of  beef  type  and 
character  to  arouse  enthusiasm  among  breeders  of  Shorthorns. 


250 


CATTLE 


However,  some  very  superior  Polled  Shorthorns  have  been  bred, 
such  as  reflected  great  credit  on  this  strain  of  cattle.  The  growing 
popularity  of  polled  cattle  should  benefit  the  Polled  Shorthorn 
in  particular. 

The  prices  paid  for  Polled  Shorthorns  in  general  are  very  mod- 
est in  comparison  with  Shorthorns  ;  still  a  number  of  remarkably 
good  sales  have  been  held  in  recent  years.  On  April  9,  1914, 
Mr.  J.  H.  Miller  of  Indiana,  famous  as  a  breeder  and  improver, 

disposed  of  thirty- 
seven  head  at  a  pub- 
lic sale  for  $20,960, 
an  average  of  $566. 
One  of  the  best  bulls 
of  the  day,  Sultan's 


FIG.  102.    Bulhla,  a  Polled  Shorthorn  cow  of  great 

scale  and  very  superior  character.  Owned  by  W.  M. 

Miller  &  Son,  Mulberry,  Indiana.   From  photograph 

by  J.  C.  Allen 


brought  $2200,  and 
a  son  of  his  —  Intense 
Sultan  385882X- 
brought  $1500.  The 
cow  Capacious  Sultan 
I32803X  sold  for 
$1050.  At  a  breed- 
ers' sale  at  Oxford, 
Iowa,  in  March,  1918, 
forty-four  head  aver- 
aged $340,  and  the 
very  successful  show 
bull  Snowball  X4/8/I4  brought  $3600.  At  the  Polled  Durham 
Breeders'  Association  sale  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Ex- 
position in  Chicago,  in  1918,  forty-three  head  sold  for  $21,760, 
an  average  of  $506,  thirty-one  females  averaging  $468.  The  top 
bull  was  the  grand  champion  of  the  show,  Royal  Stamp  X  17841, 
which  sold  for  $1525. 

The  distribution  of  Polled  Shorthorns  is  most  common  in  the 
corn  belt  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  but  more  especially  in  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota.  Mr.  J.  H.  Miller  has  on  several 
occasions  exported  Polled  Shorthorns  to  Argentina. 


THE  POLLED  SHORTHORN  251 

The  promotion  of  Polled  Shorthorn  interests  is  officially  super- 
vised by  the  American  Polled  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association, 
organized  at  Chicago  in  1889  as  the  American  Polled  Durham 
Breeders'  Association.  However,  on  July  n,  1919,  the  associa- 
tion in  session  in  Chicago  substituted  "  Shorthorn  "  for  Durham. 
Seven  volumes  of  the  herdbook  have  since  been  published  up 
to  1919.  It  is  to  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  breeders  are 
seeking  to  produce  mainly  animals  that  are  eligible  to  registration 
in  the  "American  Shorthorn  Herdbook."  The  greater  the  per- 
centage of  "double  standard"  Polled  Shorthorns  produced,  the 
less  the  necessity  of  maintaining  an  independent  herdbook  for 
the  polled  cattle  of  the  breed. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  HEREFORD 

The  native  home  of  the  Hereford  breed  of  cattle  is  the  county 
of  Hereford,  located  in  the  upper  part  of  the  lower  third  of  Eng- 
land, with  Wales  for  its  western  boundary.  The  county  is  gently 
rolling  in  places,  while  in  other  sections  it  is  quite  hilly,  and 
superior  grazing  generally  prevails.  Mixed  farming  is  practiced  in 
Herefordshire.  Wheat,  barley,  oats,  root  crops,  and  hay  are  the 
staples.  This  also  is  a  leading  apple-growing  section  of  England. 
Here  Herefords  are  extensively  bred,  almost  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  other  kinds  of  cattle.  They  are  also  found  more  or  less  in  the 
adjoining  counties  of  Shropshire  and  Worcester  in  England,  and 
in  Radnor,  Brecknock,  and  Monmouth  counties  in  Wales. 

The  origin  of  the  Hereford,  like  that  of  other  English  breeds, 
is  clouded  in  obscurity.  Some  have  regarded  the  Hereford  as 
descended  from  the  aboriginal  cattle.  This  opinion  has  been 
expressed  by  Youatt  and  by  T.  Duckham,  the  latter  once  prom- 
inent as  editor  of  the  "  Hereford  Herdbook."  In  1788  William 
Marshall,  a  well-known  English  judge  of  cattle,  gave  it  as  his 
belief  that  the  Hereford  might  be  regarded  as  the  first  breed  on 
the  island.  This  was  written  when  the  Longhorn  and  Devon 
were  popular  and  the  Shorthorn  was  coming  into  favor  rapidly. 
Some  have  accounted  for  Hereford  color  and  type  as  due  to  the 
importation  into  Herefordshire  by  Lord  Scudamore,  prior  to  1671, 
of  some  white-faced  cattle  from  Holland  or  Flanders.  It  is  worth 
noting  here  that  in  the  Dutch  galleries  of  fine  arts  one  will  see 
many  old  paintings  of  cattle  in  which  red  bodies  and  white  faces 
are  not  unusual.  One  of  the  great  paintings  of  the  world,  "  The 
Bull,"  in  the  gallery  at  The  Hague  in  Holland,  by  Paul  Potter, 
who  lived  from  1625  to  1654,  has  in  the  group  a  white-faced, 
red-bodied  cow,  much  like  many  plain-looking  Herefords  of  to-day. 
In  his  study  of  breed  evolution  Professor  James  Wilson  states1 

1  The  Evolution  of  British  Cattle,  p.  103.    London,  1909. 

252 


THE  HEREFORD 


253 


that  the  cattle  of  Hereford  and  some  neighboring  districts  acquired 
their  red  color  from  their  Anglo-Saxon  ancestors  and  their  size 
and  their  white  faces  and  underlines  from  Holland.  Some  empha- 
sis has  been  laid  on  the  fact  that  in  the  herd  of  one  of  the  Tullys 
of  Huntington  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  a  bull 
calf  with  white  face  was  dropped,  which  later  as  a  sire  produced 
many  white-faced  calves.  Hereford  color,  however,  has  varied 
during  the  history  of  the  breed.  In  1788  Marshall  wrote  that  the 


Fir..  103.  "  The  Bull,"  by  Paul  Potter  (1625-1654).   From  a  painting  in  the  gallery 

at  The  Hague,  Holland.    Note  the  white  face  and  leg  of  the  cow,  suggestive  of 

the  early-day  Hereford 

prevailing  color  was  red  with  a  bald  face.  In  time  a  wider  range 
of  color  crept  in,  so  that  in  1845,  when  Eyton  published  the 
first  herdbook,  he  grouped  Herefords  into  four  classes :  namely, 
mottle-faced,  light  gray,  dark  gray,  and  red  with  white  face. 
Twenty-five  years  later,  however,  all  of  the  colors  but  the  last 
were  practically  extinct. 

Early  constructive  Hereford  breeders  date  back  well  into  the 
eighteenth  century.  A  number  of  men  have  attained  special  dis- 
tinction in  this  work,  some  of  whom  deserve  more  than  passing 
notice  here.  Among  these  are  the  following : 


254  CATTLE 

The  Tomkins  family  has  the  greatest  fame  among  early  Here- 
ford improvers.  Richard  Tomkins,  of  whose  history  little  is 
known,  who  died  in  1723,  left  to  his  son  Benjamin  of  Court 
House,  Canon  Pyon,  some  cattle  above  the  average,  including 
the  cow  Silver  and  her  calf.  This  son,  Benjamin  the  Elder,  was 
born  in  1714  and  died  in  1789  at  Wellington  Court,  where  he 
had  lived  since  1758.  He  was  a  most  successful  breeder  and 
possessed  a  noted  herd  of  cattle.  A  son  of  his,  also  named  Ben- 
jamin, and  designated  "  the  Younger,"  was  born  in  1745  and 
died  in  1815.  He  farmed  at  Blackball,  King's  Pyon,  and  later 
at  Wellington  Court  and  Brook  House,  King's  Pyon.  This  latter 
member  of  the  family  was  the  great  improver.  He  bred  closely 
in-and-in,  using  only  bulls  of  his  own  breeding,  one  of  which, 
Silver  Bull  (41),  was  a  famous  sire  and  perhaps  his  best,  being 
a  noted  improver  of  stock.  The  bull  Wellington  (4)  was  also  an 
almost  equally  famous  sire.  Through  Tomkins's  efforts  Here- 
fords  gradually  matured  earlier,  produced  less  offal,  became 
shorter  of  leg  and  more  refined,  and  better  covered  over  the  back. 
He  also  gave  the  breed  more  character.  His  cattle  presented 
some  range  of  Hereford  color.  In  1819  his  herd  of  52  animals 
was  sold  at  auction,  28  head  of  breeding  stock  bringing  over 
$20,000,  averaging  nearly  $750  (^149)  each,  the  bull  Phoenix 
(55)  bringing  $2800.  $ 

William  Galliers  of  Wigmore  Grange  was  born  in  1713  and 
died  in  1779.  He  was  intimate  with  Benjamin  Tomkins  the  Elder, 
and  they  used  much  of  the  same  blood  in  developing  their  herds. 
.His  cattle  passed  into  the  hands  of  his  son,  John  Galliers  of  Frog- 
don,  who  was  born  in  1755  and  died  in  1 8  2  8 .  Another  son,  William, 
Jr.,  a  celebrated  breeder,  was  born  in  1744  and  died  in  1832. 

John  Price  of  Ryall  was  born  in  1776  and  died  in  1843.  He 
spent  his  more  active  years  as  a  breeder  near  the  town  of  Upton 
in  Worcestershire.  He  was  a  close  friend  and  disciple  of  Tomkins 
the  Younger  and  adhered  to  Tomkins's  blood  lines.  He  practiced 
in-and-in  breeding  and  developed  a  famous  herd.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  rather  independent  on  color  markings  and  dairy 
qualities,  giving  them  slight  attention,  but  emphasizing  a  wide- 
spread forerib,  strong  constitution,  great  scale,  and  smoothness 
at  the  hind  quarters.  He  purchased  from  Tomkins  the  famous 


THE  HEREFORD 


255 


mottle-faced  bull  Wellington  (4).  One  of  his  cows,  Toby  Pigeon, 
by  Toby  (5),  was  a  remarkable  individual,  dropping  him  nineteen 
calves.  Nearly  his  entire  herd,  sold  in  1841,  descended  from 
her,  and  this  cow,  then  twenty-two  years  old,  brought  $70.  Cattle 
of  Price  breeding  were  an  important  source  in  the  improvement 
of  many  herds  in  Herefordshire.  He  had  auction  sales  in  1813, 
1816,  and  1841  which  realized  a  total  of  over  $83,000. 

John  Hewer   (1787-1873)   was   a  son  of   William   Hewer,  a 
Hereford   breeder  of   eminence    in    his  day.    He  was   born    in 


FIG.  104.  Winter  De  Cote  (4253),  calved  in  1870,  bred  by  Thomas  Edwards, 
Wintercote,  Leominster,  England.  First-prize  aged  Hereford  bull  at  the  show  of 
the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England.  From  an  engraving  by  E.  Hacker, 

published  in  1874 

Monmouthshire,  Wales,  and  in  1817  moved  to  Shropshire,  on 
Purslow  farm  near  Craven  Arms.  Later  he  occupied  several  other 
estates.  He  did  much  to  improve  the  breed,  and  laid  great  em- 
phasis on  scale,  quality,  and  uniformity  of  color.  He  had  four 
favorite  strains,  Countess,  Lofty,  Red  Rose,  and  Fanny,  from 
which  his  cattle  mainly  descend.  He  let  out  bulls  to  service  for 
large  sums  and  bred  and  owned  many  of  the  most  eminent 
Herefords  of  the  century.  The  following  bulls  bred  by  him  are 
among  the  notable  ones  in  the  history  of  this  breed :  Sovereign 
(404),  Lottery  (410),  Byron  (440),  Hope  (441),  Chance  (335), 


256  CATTLE 

Defiance  (416),  Prince  Dangerous  (362),  Lot  (364),  Lottery  2d 
(408),  Young  Favorite  (413),  Wonder  (420),  Fitzfavorite  (441), 
Hamlet  (512),  Original  ist  (455),  Young  Waxy  (451),  Purslow 
(446),  and  Conqueror  (412).  There  is  scarcely  a  line  of  Hereford 
breeding  to-day  that  is  not  traceable  to  the  Hewer  stock. 

Thomas  Jeffries  of  The  Grove,  Pembridge,  and  other  estates, 
was  born  in  1796  and  died  in  1843.  He  was  a  son  of  Thomar 
Jeffries  and  came  from  a  family  of  well-known  Hereford  breeders. 
He  first  began  with  the  Hereford  stock  developed  by  the  family, 
but  later  infused  the  blood  of  cattle  bred  by  John  Hewer,  hiring 
from  him  Sovereign,  Lottery,  Byron,  and  Fitzfavorite.  This 
blending  of  blood  brought  about  remarkable  success,  and  Jeffries 
produced  numerous  famous  animals.  Cotmore  (376),  by  Sovereign, 
which  he  bred,  has  been  classed  as  one  of  the  finest  Hereford 
bulls  of  history. 

Foundation  Herefords  of  importance  are  the  following:  Silver 
Cow  of  Richard  Tomkins ;  Pigeon  and  Mottle  of  Benjamin  Tom- 
kins  the  Elder;  Wellington  (4),  Silver  Bull  (41),  Slit  Teat  Cow, 
Storrell,  Old  Rose,  and  Old  Lovely  of  Benjamin  Tomkins  the 
Younger ;  Toby  Pigeon,  by  Toby  (5),  of  John  Price ;  Red  Rose, 
by  Chance  (348),  of  John  Hewer.  These  were  really  foundation 
stock  in  the  early  establishment  of  the  breed.  Among  other  very 
important  Hereford  males  that  had  a  great  influence  on  the 
breed  in  England  in  the  last  century  may  be  mentioned  Sovereign 
(404),  Old  Wellington  (507),  Old  Silver  (540),  Waxy  (403), 
Cotmore  (376),  Lottery  (410),  Chance  (348),  Sir  David  (349), 
Walford  (871),  Sir  Benjamin  (1387),  Sir  Thomas  (2228),  Horace 
(3877),  Winter  De  Cote  (4253),  and  Lord  Wilton  (4740).  It  is 
said  of  Sovereign  (404)  that  in  his  day  he  was  acknowledged  to 
be  "the  best  bull  ever  bred  in  the  county  of  Hereford,  and  the 
sire  and  grandsire  of  more  prize  cattle  at  Smithfield  and  else- 
where than  any  other  bull  in  the  kingdom."  These  bulls  are  insep- 
arably associated  with  the  development  of  the  breed  in  England. 

The  introduction  of  the  Hereford  to  America  first  occurred,  so 
far  as  records  show,  in  1817,  when  Henry  Clay  imported  a  young 
bull,  a  cow,  and  a  heifer  to  his  home  at  Lexington,  Kentucky. 
About  1825  Admiral  Coffin  of  the  British  Navy  sent  the  bull 
Sir  Isaac  and  a  cow  as  a  gift  to  the  Massachusetts  Society  for 


THE  HEREFORD  257 

Promoting  Agriculture.  Later  other  importations  followed  in  a 
small  way.  In  1840  W.  H.  Sotham,  a  native  of  Herefordshire, 
England,  who  had  previously  emigrated  to  America,  imported  to 
Albany,  New  York,  in  partnership  with  Erastus  Corning,  Jr., 
2 1  cows  and  heifers  and  a  two-year-old  bull.  This  importation  was 
followed  by  others  in  1843,  1852-1853,  and  1861-1862.  Sotham 
worked  hard  to  promote  the  breed,  but  neither  the  Kentucky, 
Massachusetts,  nor  New  York  importations  awoke  enthusiasm. 
Captain  Pendleton  of  Maine  also  imported  2  calves  in  1846,  and 


FIG.  105.  Earl  of  Shadeland  22d  27147,  by  Garfield  7015,  the  champion  Here- 
ford bull  of  1888,  known  as  "The  Record  Breaker."  One  of  the  famous  bulls 
of  his  day.  Held  by  "Uncle"  John  Lewis,  long  the  successful  manager  of  the 
great  Shadeland  herd  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  now  dispersed.  From  photograph 

by  the  author 

in  1852  John  Humphries  and  Thomas  Aston,  coming  as  new  set- 
tlers to  Ohio  from  England,  brought  with  them  7  Herefords.  In 
1860  F.  W.  Stone  of  Guelph,  Ontario,  Canada,  began  importing 
and  became  a  most  important  factor  in  promoting  the  breed  in 
that  country.  Later,  about  1875,  T.  L.  Miller  of  Beecher,  Illinois, 
became  interested.  He  was  a  man  of  wealth  and  ability  and  did 
much  to  introduce  Herefords  into  the  West  and  insist  on  the 
public  recognizing  the  merits  of  the  breed  for  the  range  country. 
Miller  exhibited  at  fairs,  and  in  1877  his  cattle  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  C.  M.  Culbertson  of  Illinois  and  Adams  Earl,  Moses  Fowler, 
and  W.  S.  Van  Natta  of  Indiana,  all  of  whom  became  noted  breeders 


258  CATTLE 

and  importers.    In  1879  Culbertson  imported  13  head  and  in  1880 
over  100  of  the  choicest  quality  and  breeding. 

Hereford  characteristics.  This  breed  has  undergone  more  of 
an  evolution  and  made  more  improvement  than  any  other  beef 
breed  in  America.  In  1788  Marshall  gave  the  following  descrip- 
tion of  the  breed,  which  sixty  years  later  Youatt  stated  was 
tolerably  correct. 

The  countenance  pleasant,  cheerful,  open  ;  the  forehead  broad ;  eye  full  and 
lively  ;  horns  bright,  taper,  and  spreading  ;  head  small ;  chap  lean  ;  neck  long 
and  tapering  ;  chest  deep ;  bosom  broad  and  projecting  forward ;  shoulder 
bone  thin,  flat,  no  way  protuberant  in  bone  (?),  but  full  and  mellow  in  flesh ; 
chest  full ;  loin  broad ;  hips  standing  wide  and  level  with  the  chine ;  quarters 
long  and  wide  at  the  neck ;  rump  even  with  the  level  of  the  back  and  not 
drooping  nor  standing  high  and  sharp  above  the  quarters;  tail  slender  and 
neatly  haired  ;  barrel  round  and  roomy ;  the  carcass  throughout  deep  and  well 
spread;  ribs  broad,  standing  flat  and  close  on  the  outer  surface,  forming  a 
small,  even  barrel,  the  hindmost  large  and  full  of  length ;  round  bone  small, 
snug,  and  not  prominent;  thigh  clean  and  regularly  tapering:  legs  upright 
and  short ;  bone  below  the  knee  and  hock  small ;  feet  of  middle  size ;  flank, 
large;  flesh  everywhere  mellow,  soft,  and  yielding  pleasantly  to  the  touch, 
especially  on  the  chine,  the  shoulder,  and  the  ribs ;  hide  mellow,  supple,  of  a 
middle  thickness,  and  loose  on  the  neck  and  huckle  ;  coat  neatly  haired,  bright, 
and  silky;  color  a  middle  red  with  a  bald  face,  characteristic  of  the  true 
Herefordshire  breed. 

While  this  description  has  an  important  application  to  the 
Hereford  of  to-day,  in  certain  respects  the  breed  has  been 
materially  improved  over  what  it  was  twenty-five  years  ago. 

The  head  of  the  bull  is  different  in  type  from  that  of  other 
breeds,  being  rather  short  and  broad,  both  in  forehead  and  muz- 
zle, and  often  dished  of  face,  crowned  with  white  or  waxy  yellow 
horns,  which  spring  forward  and  down  in  a  semicircular  curve. 
The  head  of  the  cow  is  more  refined,  and  the  horns  commonly 
curve  around  and  upward,  the  tips  pointing  forward.  The  neck  is 
often  too  full  at  the  throat  and  shows  excessive  dewlap,  especially 
with  the  bulls,  but  commonly  blends  smoothly  into  the  shoulders. 

The  shoulder  is  most  beautifully  laid  and  covered  with  flesh, 
this  being  a  Hereford  characteristic  scarcely  equaled  by  any  other 
breed.  The  spring  and  depth  of  rib  and  consequent  expansion 
of  body  is  striking,  and  a  wide,  long  loin  and  thickness  and  depth 


THE  HEREFORD 


259 


of  chest  clearly  account  for  the  vigor  and  constitution  so  univer- 
sally acknowledged  for  this  breed.  The  rump  often  lacks  in 
levelness  and  fullness,  while  the  thighs  are  frequently  thin  and 
pared  off,  being  deficient  in  thickness  and  depth.  These  defi- 
ciencies, however,  have  been  materially  bred  out  in  many  herds, 
so  that  the  criticisms  do  not  have  the  weight  they  formerly  did, 
although  even  to-day  the  fore  part  of  the  Hereford  usually 
delights  the  critics,  while  the  hind  part  often  meets  with  un- 
favorable comment.  The  successful  Hereford  winners  in  the 
important  shows  of  to-day  exhibit  fullness  behind  as  well  as  in 
front  and  bear  evidence 
of  the  improvement  se- 
cured by  modern  con- 
structive breeding. 

The  skin  and  hair  of 
the  Hereford  are  distin- 
guishing features  of  the 
breed.  The  skin  should 
be  thick,  mellow,  and 
elastic,  and  the  hair  fine. 
Commenting  on  this  sub- 
ject, one  of  the  greatest 
British  breeders l  says  : 
"One  thing  each  Here- 
ford breeder  should  par- 
ticularly study  in  choosing  the  sire  and  dam,  and  therefore  the 
offspring,  is  to  try  to  keep  that  thick  mellow  hide  and  the  soft 
curly  coat  that  are  principal  characteristics  of  the  well-bred  Here- 
ford. It  is  a  sort  of  special  feature  of  the  breed,  showing  its 
aptitude  to  fatten."  The  coat  of  hair  in  cold  weather  is  usually 
thicker  and  more  curly  than  with  any  other  breed,  excepting  Gal- 
loway and  West  Highland,  furnishing  abundant  protection  from 
cold  and  storm. 

As  milk  producers  the  cows  average  below  medium  and  are 
specially  open  to  criticism.  No  class  of  breeders  carry  so  many 
nurse  cows  on  the  show  circuit  as  do  the  Hereford  men. 


FIG.  106.  Dale  66481,  by  Columbus  51875,  one 
of  the  greatest  Hereford  bulls  in  the  history 
of  the  breed,  both  as  sire  and  show  bull.  Bred 
by  Clem  Graves,  Bunker  Hill,  Indiana.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 


1  William  Tudge,  Breeders'  Gazette,  July  3,  1912. 


260  CATTLE 

In  temperament  Herefords  are  less  docile  than  Shorthorns 
under  similar  conditions  and  do  not  so  readily  accustom  them- 
selves to  the  confinement  of  limited  quarters  where  grazing  is 
not  abundant. 

The  color  of  the  Hereford  is  one  of  its  most  distinguishing 
features.  As  has  already  been  shown,  a  century  ago  there  was 
considerable  range  of  color,  and  the  first  English  herdbook 
classified  the  cattle  into  four  groups  —  mottle-faced,  light  gray, 
dark  gray,  and  red  with  white  face.  In  the  development  of  the 
breed  the  trend  has  been  to  secure  uniformity  of  color.  This,  as 
seen  to-day,  shows  in  varying  degree  pure  white  hair  over  the  face 
and  head,  breast,  top  of  neck  and  withers,  and  legs  below  knee 
and  hock,  along  the  belly  and  udder  and  switch,  the  remainder 
of  the  body  being  red.  The  amount  of  white  seen  on  different 
animals  in  a  large  herd  will  vary,  some  being  marked  in  a  much 
more  pronounced  degree  than  others.  The  color  varies  from  a 
light  yellow-red  to  a  dark  cherry,  a  medium,  soft  tone  of  red 
being  preferred. 

The  size  of  the  Hereford  places  this  breed  in  the  large  class  of 
cattle.  From  very  early  times  great  scale  has  been  sought,  and  it  is 
said  that  the  bull  Wellington  in  1815  weighed  29 1 2  pounds  and  the 
cow  Silk  in  1820  weighed  2000  pounds.  Cotmore  (376),  first-prize 
bull  in  1839  at  the  English  Royal,  it  is  claimed,1  based  on  official 
record,  weighed  35  hundredweight,  or  3920  pounds,  the  maximum 
weight  for  a  British  bull.  The  bull  The  General  (1251)  is  also 
reported  to  have  weighed  3640  pounds  when  six  years  old.  A 
circular  issued  by  the  American  Hereford  Cattle  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation states  that  the  breed  is  not  excelled  in  size,  either  at  early 
age  or  maturity,  by  any  breed  and  that  it  is  not  uncommon  for 
bulls  to  weigh  from  2800  to  3000  pounds  and  for  mature  cows 
to  weigh  a  ton.  The  following  are  given  as  the  average  weights 
for  a  period  of  five  years  of  Herefords  of  different  ages  shown  at 
the  American  Royal  Live-Stock  Show  at  Kansas  City :  aged  bulls, 
2238  pounds;  two-year-old  bulls,  1911;  senior  yearling  bulls, 
1439  >  junior  yearling  bulls,  1318  ;  senior  bull  calves,  979  ;  junior 
bull  calves,  748;  aged  cows,  1689;  two-year-old  heifers,  1517; 
senior  yearling  heifers,  1269;  junior  yearling  heifers,  1128; 

1  Alvin  H.  Sanders,  The  Story  of  the  Herefords.    Chicago,  1914. 


THE  HEREFORD 


261 


senior  heifer  calves,  828  ;  junior  heifer  calves,  634  pounds.  These 
weights  are  of  show-ring  animals  and  naturally  are  materially 
heavier  than  those  in  ordinary  flesh. 

The  Herefords  as  meat  producers  have  always  ranked  high. 
For  many  years  their  meat  held  the  highest  place  at  the  Smith- 
field  market  in  London.  At  the  first  fifty -two  annual  meetings 


FIG.  107.  Black's  Ohio  Champion,  a  grade  yearling  Hereford  range  steer,  held 
by  the  noted  feeder,  D.  W.  Black,  Lyndon,  Ohio.  Bred  by  Swenson  Brothers  of 
Texas.  One  of  the  grand-champion  car  lot  of  feeder  calves  at  the  1904  show 
of  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition.  Also  one  of  the  first-prize  car  lot 
of  yearlings  fed  by  Mr.  Black  for  the  1905  show.  Purchased  by  the  Ohio  State 
University.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

of  the  Smithfield  Club,  with  various  breeds  in  competition,  185 
prizes  went  to  Hereford  steers  or  oxen  and  only  190  to  all  other 
breeds  or  crosses  combined.  In  recent  years,  however,  the  Here- 
ford has  not  been  so  uniformly  successful,  owing  to  the  influence 
of  Aberdeen-Angus  and  Shorthorn,  but  even  to-day  it  may  be 
classed  in  the  first  rank.  In  the  carcass  contests  on  fat  cattle  at  the 
International  during  the  period  between  1907  and  1917  the  Here- 
fords  did  not  attain  first  honors,  securing  second  on  two-year-olds 


262  CATTLE 

in  1911,  third  on  yearlings  in  1907,  1908,  and  1910;  and  fifth 
on  two-year-olds  in  1917,  the  latter  being  on  the  steer  Hazford 
Lad  6th,  shown  by  Colonel  E.  H.  Taylor,  Jr.,  weighing  1650 
pounds  alive,  dressing  out  68.91  per  cent.  In  1910  the  third-prize 
yearling  Mirko,  shown  by  the  University  of  Nebraska,  weighing 
1332  pounds,  dressed  out  the  high  percentage  of  68.09.  At  the 
Chicago  Fat  Stock  Show  the  following  Hereford  grand  champion- 
ships were  awarded  between  1878  and  1892  :  1883,  Roan  Boy, 
a  grade  sired  by  a  Hereford  bull  out  of  a  Shorthorn  cow;  1885, 
the  grade  Regulus ;  1886,  Rudolph  J.,  a  pure-bred;  1891,  Hick- 
ory Nut,  a  pure-bred.  At  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition 
but  few  grand  championships  have  been  won  by  Hereford  steers. 
In  1901  The  Woods  Principal,  a  pure-bred,  was  grand  champion 
over  all.  In  1903  Challenger,  a  grade,  sired  by  a  Hereford  and 
shown  by  Nebraska  University,  was  grand  champion.  In  1906  a 
pure-bred  calf,  Peerless  Wilton  39ths  Defender,  won  the  high 
honors,  and  again,  in  1916,  a  Hereford-Shorthorn  grade,  Cali- 
fornia Favorite,  shown  by  the  University  of  California,  was  grand 
champion.  In  the  carload  lots  of  fat  steers  Herefords  have  been 
shown  in  large  numbers,  though  these  are  mostly  range-bred. 
Grand-championship  honors  on  carloads  have  been  won  as  fol- 
lows at  the  International :  in  1901  by  D.  W.  Black  of  Ohio  with 
a  carload  of  range-bred  Herefords ;  in  1903  by  W.  F.  Herrin  of 
Illinois  ;  in  1918  by  J.  W.  Frazier  of  Illinois  with  calves  bred  on 
the  Texas  range.  At  the  American  Royal  at  Kansas  City  the  grand- 
champion  load  in  1910  was  Herefords.  Especially  strong  exhibits 
of  fat  cattle  and  feeders  of  this  breed  are  shown  at  the  American 
Royal  Live-Stock  Show  at  Kansas  City,  at  the  Western  Stock 
Show  at  Denver,  and  at  the  National  Show  at  Fort  Worth, 
Texas.  In  recent  years  the  Hereford  has  made  a  poor  showing  at 
the  British  fat-stock  shows. 

The  early  maturity  of  the  Hereford  is  one  of  its  pronounced 
characteristics.  No  breed  of  beef  cattle  develops  more  rapidly  into 
"  baby  beef  "  than  this,  the  calves  showing  a  thickness  of  fleshing 
and  finish  that  is  most  attractive.  Beyond  eighteen  months  of  age 
the  tendency  is  for  Herefords  to  take  on  some  rolls  of  fat  over  the 
ribs  and  show  more  or  less  unevenness  of  fleshing.  Compared  with 
the  Aberdeen-Angus  in  this  regard,  they  are  at  some  disadvantage. 


THE  HEREFORD 


263 


The  prepotency  of  the  Hereford  is  one  of  its  most  marked  fea- 
tures. Not  only  is  there  little  variation  in  type  and  color  markings 
among  pure-breds  but  so  dominant  are  these  characteristics  that 
when  pure-bred  bulls  are  used  on  grade  cows,  the  offspring  appear 
in  many  instances  like  pure-breds.  So  prepotent  is  the  Hereford 
that  his  smooth  shoulder  and  thin  thigh  are  commonly  transmitted 
into  the  grade  herd. 

Hereford  cattle  for  grazers  are  of  the  first  rank.  No  other  breed 
will  sustain  itself  on  the  range,  depending  entirely  on  grass  and 
forage,  and  will  thrive 
so  well  as  this.  In- 
heriting a  very  hardy 
constitution  and  being 
capable  of  withstand- 
ing unusual  severity  of 
winter  weather,  and 
with  a  capacity  to  gain 
in  weight  and  do  well 
on  a  relatively  sparse 
feed,  the  Hereford 
has  proved  itself  to  be 
the  leading  breed  for 
the  range.  It  is  not 
so  well  suited  to  re- 


FIG.  108.    Crossbred  heifers  out  of  grade  Hereford 

cows,    sired   by   an    Aberdeen-Angus    bull.     Bred 

by  Ohio  State  University,  Columbus,  Ohio.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 


stricted    pastures   and 

stable  confinement  as 

either    Shorthorn     or 

Aberdeen-Angus,  but  on  the  great  ranges  of  the  western  United 

States  and  Canada,  in  Brazil  and  Argentina,  it  has  no  equal. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Hereford  is  a  prime  favorite  among 
feeders  of  beef  cattle.  Beyond  the  Missouri  River  and  in  the 
Southwest  Hereford  bulls  have  accomplished  remarkable  results  in 
grading  up  and  improving  the  common  cattle  of  the  range.  The 
old-fashioned  longhorn  Spanish  type  of  cattle  of  the  Southwest 
have  disappeared  under  the  improving  influence  of  Hereford 
blood.  During  the  course  of  years  grade  Herefords  on  the  range 
have  taken  on  all  the  characteristics  of  the  pure-breds,  and  millions 
of  these  cattle  have  been  transferred  from  the  range  country  to 


264  CATTLE 

the  feed  lots  of  the  corn  belt,  where  they  have  met  with  great 
favor  on  account  of  their  hardiness  and  ease  of  fattening.  The 
influence  of  the  grade  Hereford  in  the  feed  lot  is  strikingly 
shown  in  the  large  numbers  of  cattle  of  this  breeding  to  be  seen 
in  the  stockyards  of  Chicago,  Kansas  City,  or  Fort  Worth. 
While  crossing  of  pure-breds  is  not  advised,  a  one-generation 
cross  of  Hereford  on  Shorthorn  or  Aberdeen-Angus  may  pro- 
duce a  most  excellent  butcher's  beast. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Hereford  is  a  noteworthy  feature.  There 
are  many  cases  on  record  of  Hereford  cows  living  to  extreme 
old  age  and  continuing  as  active  breeders  in  the  meantime. 
Mr.  William  Tudge  writes  of  a  cow  in  his  herd  that  between  1873 
and  1887  dropped  sixteen  calves.  Mr.  Murdo  Mackenzie,  noted 
as  a  manager  of  large  cattle-breeding  and  feeding  interests  in  the 
far  western  United  States  and  in  Brazil,  is  credited1  with  prefer- 
ring the  Hereford  on  account  of  its  prolificacy.  His  calf  crop,  he 
said,  usually  ran  from  70  to  80  per  cent  when  he  used  Hereford 
bulls.  At  one  time  he  put  in  bulls  of  another  breed  and  the 
calf  crop  dropped  to  40  per  cent.  A  return  to  the  use  of  Here- 
ford bulls  was  quickly  reflected  in  the  increase  in  the  percentage 
of  calves  dropped. 

Hereford  families  of  note.  While  Shorthorn  and  Aberdeen- 
Angus  breeders  give  the  family  name  based  on  some  foundation 
female,  the  custom  among  Hereford  breeders  is  to  use  the  name 
of  the  sire  as  indicative  "of  the  line  of  breeding.  In  reference 
to  this  subject  Mr.  A.  H.  Sanders,  long  an  able  and  interested 
student  of  the  breed,  has  written  as  follows  :2  "  In  so  far  as  they 
use  family  nomenclature  at  all,  Hereford  breeders  commonly 
group  their  breeding  animals  under  heads  that  convey  a  definite 
meaning.  They  have  their  Wiltons,  Anxieties,  Grove^d's,  Garfields, 
Beau  Donalds,  Perfection  Fairfaxes,  Disturbers,  Repeaters,  etc., 
thus  laying  stress  where  it  of  right  belongs,  on  the  great  producing 
bulls."  The  following  families  are  given  as  based  on  lines  of 
breeding  that  have  attracted  special  attention  since  the  opening 
of  the  present  century. 

1  The  Hereford,  1917.  A  pamphlet  published  by  the  American  Hereford 
Journal. 

-  The  Story  of  the  Hereford  (1914),  p.  1072. 


THE  HEREFORD 


265 


The  Anxiety  family  descends  from  the  imported  bull  Anxiety 
2238,  bred  by  T.  J.  Carwardine  and  imported  by  C.  B.  Culberson 
of  Illinois  in  1879.  Anxiety  was  sired  by  Longhorns  2239,  a  very 
successful  sire,  and  out  of  Helena  2240,  one  of  the  best  show 
cows  of  her  time.  Anxiety  was  a  very  superior,  thick,  smooth 
bull  of  much  quality,  and  during  a  short  life  in  America  he  sired 
a  number  of  most  excellent  animals,  including  Anxiety  3d  4466 


FIG.  109.    Repeater  289598,  one  of  the  greatest  of  twentieth-century  Hereford 

sires,  the  descendants  of  which  have  been  in  great  favor.    A  grand  champion  in 

his   day  and  a   sire  of  grand   champions.     Owned  by  Overton  Harris,  Harris, 

Missouri.    From  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Harris 

and  Anxiety  4th  9904.  These  two  proved  remarkable  sires. 
Anxiety  3d  was  a  great  heifer  getter,  and  Anxiety  4th  sired 
notable  bulls  and  cows,  including  Don  Carlos  33734,  Beau  Real 
11055,  and  Anxiety  Monarch  41216.  Beau  Donald  58996,  one 
of  the  more  recent  sires  of  note,  was  a  grandson  of  Anxiety  4th 
through  Beau  Brummel  51817.  Prime  Lad  108911  and  Dis- 
turber 139989,  famous  as  sires,  were  both  direct  descendants 
from  Anxiety  4th.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  family  has  had  so  potent 
an  influence  on  the  breed  in  recent  years  as  has  this. 


266  CATTLE 

The  Beau  Donald  family  descends  from  Beau  Donald  58996, 
referred  to  above.  He  was  sired  by  Beau  Brummel  51817,  a  son 
of  Don  Carlos  33734,  by  Anxiety  4th.  Donna  33035,  the  dam 
of  Beau  Donald,  was  out  of  Dowager  6th  6932,  the  mother  of 
Don  Carlos.  It  can  thus  be  seen  that  on  both  sire's  and  dam's  side 
the  Beau  Donald  family  is  of  Anxiety  breeding  and  so  might  be 
regarded  as  a  subfamily.  Beau  Donald  was  bred  by  Gudgell  and 
Simpson  of  Missouri  in  1893.  He  was  bought  as  a  calf  by 
H.  B.  Watts  of  Missouri,  who  sold  him  in  1897  to  W.  H.  Curtice 
of  Kentucky,  in  whose  herd  he  established  the  reputation  of  this 
family.  In  the  hands  of  Mr.  Curtice,  Beau  Donald  sired  a  large 
number  of  remarkably  good  cattle,  including  some  notable  sires, 
especially  Beau  Donald  3d  86140  (the  sire  of  Disturber  139989 
and  grandsire  of  Repeater  289598)  and  Prince  Rupert  79539 
(the  sire  of  Prince  Rupert  8th  142701,  noted  as  a  show  bull 
and  sire).  This  is  one  of  the  most  popular  Hereford  families. 

The  Corrector  family  derives  its  title  from  the  bull  Corrector 
48976,  calved  in  1891  and  bred  by  T.  F.  B.  Sotham  of  Missouri. 
Corrector  was  sired  by  imported  Harold  21141,  his.  breeding 
extending  back  to  the  famous  Horace,  while  Regulus  was  sire  of 
Harold's  dam.  Coral  13526,  the  dam  of  Corrector,  was  a  great 
breeding  as  well  as  show  cow.  During  the  twelve  years  of  his 
life  Corrector  sired  many  sons  and  daughters,  among  which  were 
the  famous  prize  winners  Benefice  78825,  Benita  58542,  Sir 
Bredwell  63685  (that  sold  for  $5000),  and  Thickset  68785  (that 
sold  for  $5100).  From  1894  to  1903  inclusive  104  Corrector 
bulls  sold  for  $45,520  and  85  females  for  $32,920.  Many  of 
the  cattle  of  Corrector  breeding  found  their  way  to  the  range 
herds  of  the  Far  West,  where  they  were  absorbed,  the  family 
line  largely  disappearing. 

The  Disturber  family  is  named  from  the  bull  Disturber 
139989,  a  son  of  Beau  Donald  3d  86140,  he  by  Beau 
Donald  and  out  of  Columbia  76779,  a  daughter  of  Columbus 
51875.  This  family  combines  the  blood  of  Beau  Donald  on  the 
sire's  side  and  runs  back  to  Garfield  7015,  four  generations  on 
the  dam's  side.  Disturber  was  bred  by  Jesse  Adams  in  1901 
and  bought  by  John  Letham  for  S.  L.  Brock  of  Wisconsin,  in 
whose  herd  he  remained  until  1911,  when  he  was  bought  by 


THE  HEREFORD 


267 


C.  A.  Tow  of  Iowa.  According  to  Mr.  Letham,  who  was  in 
charge  of  this  bull  for  years,1  Disturber  was  most  successful  as  a 
sire  on  Kansas  Lad  Jr.  and  Prime  Lad  cows.  Through  his  son 
Distributor  176433  he  is  grandsire  of  Repeater  289598,  whose 
sons  and  daughters  have  attracted  much  attention.  Point  Comfort 
1 4th  337488,  very  noted  as  a  sire  in  the  South,  was  also  a 
grandson  of  Disturber  through  his  darn  Lady  Christine  204806. 
This  family  represents  one  of  .the  most  popular  lines  of  breeding 
to-day,  since  it  stands 
for  the  more  modern 
type,  with  well-filled- 
out  hind  quarters  and 
smoothness  of  finish. 
The  Hesiod  family 
derives  its  name  from 
the  imported  bull 
Hesiod  11675,  bred  by 
P.  Turner  and  sired  by 
The  Grove  3d  2490.  A 
son  of  Hesiod  named 
Hesiod  2d  40679,  out 
of  Anita  33955  — a 
daughter  of  Harold 


Fir.,  no.  Perfection  Fairfax  179676,  the  greatest 
grandson  of  Dale,  in  field  condition.  Perhaps  the 
greatest  Hereford  sire  in  the  history  of  the  breed 
in  America.  Owned  by  W.  T.  McCray,  Kentland, 
Indiana.  From  photograph  by  the  author 


21141  and  half  sister  of 
Corrector —  established 
the  fame  of  this  family 

while  in  the  ownership  of  J.  A.  Funkhouser  of  Missouri.  Notable 
sons  and  daughters  of  his  were  Hesiod  29th  66304,  Hesiod  5oth 
76440,  Hesiod  58th  86466,  Dewdrop  61351,  and  Keepsake  81634. 
Mina  1 84985,  the  dam  of  Repeater  289598,  is  a  great-granddaughter 
of  Hesiod  2d.  Few  families  show  a  better  ancestry  than  does  this, 
although  it  has  not  been  especially  prominent  in  recent  years. 

The  March  On  family  descends  from  March  On  76035,  im- 
ported in  1897  by  C.  S.  Cross  of  Kansas  and  sired  by  Lead  On 
76967,  dam  Royal  Daisy  2d  79943.  The  breeding  of  March  On 
goes  back  five  generations  on  the  sire's  side  to  Good  Boy  (7668), 
a  noted  sire  and  show  bull,  and  also  to  Lord  Wilton  and  Grove  3d. 

!The  Story  of  the  Hereford,  p.  952. 


268  CATTLE 

The  dam  of  March  On  also  traces  back  four  generations  to 
Grove  3d.  March  On  in  yearling  age  was  bought  at  auction  by 
W.  S.  Van  Natta  and  Son  of  Indiana,  and  in  their  herd  this 
family  won  its  reputation.  March  On  6th  96537,  by  March  On, 
dam  Jewel  Fowler  49207,  by  Fowler  12899,  was  purchased  from 
the  Van  Nattas  by  J.  A.  Funkhouser.  Jewel  Fowler,  his  dam, 
was  also  dam  of  Java  64045,  sire  of  Dolly  5th  71988.  In  the 
Funkhouser  herd  the  March  On  family  was  especially  promoted. 
March  On  6th  was  not  only  a  great  success  in  the  show  yard 
but  he  was  also  a  distinct  success  as  a  sire.  Onward  4th  123694, 
by  March  On  6th,  was  champion  Hereford  bull  at  the  1903  and 
1904  American  Royal  shows  at  Kansas  City  and  third  aged  bull 
in  1904  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition.  Onward  3ist 
187476,  another  son,  was  champion  at  Kansas  City  in  1908.  At 
the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  many  prizes  were  won  by 
sons  and  daughters  of  March  On  6th,  including  second  on  get 
of  sire  and  produce  of  dam.  During  the  first  ten  years  of  this 
century  this  family  attained  much  popularity. 

The  Perfection  family  comes  from  most  illustrious  ancestry 
and  is  named  from  Perfection  92891,  calved  in  1898  and  bred 
by  F.  A.  Nave  of  Indiana.  Perfection  was  sired  by  "Dale  66481, 
champion  in  many  shows,  and  out  of  Melley  May  41752,  a 
daughter  of  Hoosier  Tom  7732,  by  Anxiety  2d.  Going  back  five 
generations  on  the  line  of  sires  we  have  Dale  66481,  Columbus 
51875,  Earl  of  Shadeland  4ist  33378,  and  Garfield  7015,  a 
remarkable  ancestry.  Perfection  was  repeatedly  a  first-prize  win- 
ner and  champion  as  calf,  yearling,  and  two-year-old.  Mr.  Thomas 
Clark  of  Illinois  paid  $1350  for  him  as  a  yearling  and  later  sold 
him  at  auction  to  G.  H.  Hoxie  of  Illinois  for  $9000.  In  1907  he 
was  bought  at  auction  by  Colonel  Curtice  of  Kentucky.  Perfection 
sired  many  animals  of  superior  merit,  but  two  of  his  sons  — 
Perfection  Fairfax  179767,  out  of  imported  Berna  138482,  by 
Fairfax  34159,  owned  by  W.  T.  McCray  of  Indiana,  and  Wood- 
ford  500000,  out  of  Belle  Donald  H4th  267191,  a  double  grand- 
daughter of  Beau  Donald,  owned  by  Colonel  E.  H.  Taylor,  Jr.,  of 
Kentucky,  and  for  which  he  paid  $12,000  —  are  his  most  famous 
sons.  In  the  opinion  of  many  breeders  Perfection  Fairfax  is 
the  greatest  Hereford  sire  in  the  history  of  the  breed  and  is  by 


THK   HKRKFOR1) 


269 


in 


many  regarded  as  the  founder  of  a  family  itself.  Calved 
1903  and  used  for  many  years  in  a  herd  of  unusual  excellence, 
Perfection  Fairfax  has  sired  a  large  number  of  sons  and  daughters 
which  have  been  bought  at  high  prices.  At  the  sale  of  Mr.  McCray 
on  May  22,  1918,  fourteen  of  his  sons  averaged  $5216  and  ten  of 
his  daughters  $2870  each.  In  the  1919  sale  of  Mr.  McCray  20 
bulls  (all  sons  of  Perfection  Fairfax)  averaged  $7955,  and  22  of 


FIG.  in.    Richard  Fairfax  449317,  by  Perfection  Fairfax  179676.    Sold  by  L.  A. 
Pinnard  to  Ferguson  Brothers,  Canby,  Minnesota,  for  $50,000.    One  of  the  promi- 
nent present-day  sires.    From  a  photograph  by  courtesy  of  Ferguson  Brothers 

his  daughters  averaged  $3436.  Luther  Fairfax  688971  brought 
$19,000  ;  Admiral  Fairfax  633408  brought  $20,500  ;  Hugo  Fair- 
fax 608229  brought  $23,000 ;  and  Baron  Fairfax  547771  sold  for 
$24,000.  Another  son,  Richard  Fairfax  449317,  sold  in  March, 
1919,  at  private  sale  for  $50,000,  as  set  forth  on  page  273.  While 
Perfection  blood  has  been  widely  used  in  Hereford  families,  Beau 
Donald  breeding  has  seemed  to  blend  with  it  especially  well. 

The  Prime  Lad  family  finds  its  so-called  beginning  in  the  bull 
Prime  Lad  108911,  bred  by  W.  S.  Van  Natta  and  Son,  calved  in 
1900,  sired  by  Kansas  Lad,  Jr.  75104,  and  out  of  Primrose 


270  CATTLE 

80150,  by  Marplot  82782.  Prime  Lad,  through  his  sire  and 
grandsire,  Kansas  Lad  36932,  goes  back  to  Beau  Real  11055, 
by  Anxiety  4th,  a  truly  great  line  of  sires.  Prime  Lad  won 
many  prizes  in  the  show  ring,  the  more  important  being  the 
breed  championship  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  and 
at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  in  1904.  As  a  sire, 
in  the  hands  of  Van  Natta  and  Son,  he  was  a  great  success, 
siring  many  notable  prize  winners,  including  Prime  Lad  i6th 
213969,  out  of  Lorna  Doone  94479  (champion  at  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition),  and  Prime  Lad  9th  213963,  out  of  Leonora 
137722  (another  daughter  of  Lorna  Doone),  by  March  On  76035. 
Gay  Lad  6th  316936,  by  Prime  Lad  i6th,  out  of  Sister  Per- 
fection 139658  sired  by  Dale  66481  and  out  of  Melley  May 
(also  the  dam  of  Perfection  Fairfax),  in  the  hands  of  O.  Harris 
of  Missouri,  attained  great  fame  as  the  progenitor  of  a  line  of 
Gay  Lads  of  much  merit.  Gay  Lad  6th  was  champion  bull  of 
the  breed  at  the  American  Royal  and  the  International  in  1910 
and  1911,  and  his  son  Gay  Lad  4Oth  503718,  junior  champion 
in  1916  at  the  American  Royal,  at  the  O.  Harris  and  Sons 
sale  in  1917,  sold  for  $11,900.  Since  1904  Prime  Lads  have 
been  in  special  favor.  The  Prime  Lad  and  Beau  Donald  families 
have  been  blended  to  great  advantage. 

Noted  Hereford  sires  prior  to  1900  may  be  traced  in  the  history 
of'  the  breed  during  the  previous  century.  Two  great  epoch- 
making  sires  of  long  ago  were  Sovereign  (404),  calved  in  1820, 
and  Sir  David  (349),  calved  in  1845.  Sir  Benjamin  (1387),  a  son 
of  Sir  David,  was  also  a  sire  of  great  renown.  Coming  to  a  more 
recent  date,  Lord  Wilton  (4740)  4057,  calved  in  1873  (a  de- 
scendant of  Sir  David),  and  Horace  (3877)  2492,  calved  in  1867, 
have  been  rated  as  two  of  the  greatest  bulls  in  the  history  of  the 
breed  in  England.  Hereford  sires  of  particular  note  in  America 
date  back  only  to  the  time  of  T.  L.  Miller.  From  about  1880 
many  animals  of  much  merit  were  imported.  Among  these 
history  accords  high  place  to  Success  2,  by  Banquo  4 ;  Sir 
Richard  2d  97oa,  by  Sir  Oliver  2d  (1733)  ;  The  Grove  3d  2490; 
Sir  Bartle  Frere  6419,  by  Lord  Wilton  (4740)  4057;  Garfield 
7015,  by  Quickset  6853;  Anxiety  2238,  by  Longhorns  2236; 
and  Tregehan  6203,  by  Assurance  4589,  Among  American-bred 


THE  HEREFORD  271 

Herefords  the  following  in  particular  are  of  distinction  :  Fowler 
12899,  by  Tregehan ;  Anxiety  4th  9904,  by  Anxiety;  Corrector 
48975,  by  Harold  21141  ;  Peerless  Wilton  12774,  by  Garfield ; 
Dale  66481,  by  Columbus  51875  ;  Earl  of  Shadeland  22d  27147 
and  Earl  of  Shadeland  4ist  33478,  both  by  Garfield.  After 
making  a  study  of  the  winners  at  the  various  American  Royal 
and  International  Exposition  shows  up  to  and  including  1917, 


; 


FIG.  112.   Lorna  Doone  94479,  by  Christopher  69072.    Grand-champion  Hereford 

cow  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904,  and  at  various  other  leading 

exhibitions,  and  noted  as  a  great  specimen  of  the  breed.    Bred  and  owned  by 

W.  S.  Van  Natta  &  Son.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

L.  H.  Riggs  gives  the  following,1  as  all  things  considered,  the 
greatest  Hereford  sires  in  order  of  merit:  (i)  Perfection  Fairfax, 
(2)  Beau  Donald,  (3)  Prime  Lad,  (4)  Disturber,  (5)  Lamplighter, 
(6)  March  On  6th,  (7)  Corrector,  (8)  Repeater,  (9)  Benjamin  Wilton. 
Prices  paid  for  Herefords  have  passed  through  wide  extremes. 
In  their  native  home  the  breed  has  long  been  valued  for  export, 
nd  prices  have  generally  ruled  strong.  In  1884  Lord  Wilton 
(4740)  sold  at  auction  for  $19,000,  but  the  buyer  could  not  cash 
his  bid,  so  the  bull  was  later  sold  to  William  Tudge  and  Thomas 
Fenn  for  $5000.  In  the  United  States  public-auction  sales  show 

1  American  Hereford  Journal  (June  15,  1918),  p.  144. 


272  CATTLE 

the  low  average  in  1891  of  $68.23,  with  a  gradual  increase  up 
to  1898,  when  1345  head  averaged  $300.18.  From  this  time 
values  declined,  until  1905,  when  1179  head  averaged  $115.25. 
Since  1905,  however,  Hereford  values  have  steadily  increased, 
more  recently  going  up  in  unusual  degree.  "  In  1917,"  says 
Hayes  Walker,1  "a  total  of  3266  bulls  sold  at  public  auction  for 
an  average  of  $508,  while  so  far  this  year  2518  bulls  have  sold 
in  public  sales  for  a  general  average  of  $400.  Last  year  5888 
females  sold  at  public  auction  for  a  general  average  of  $485, 
while  so  far  this  year  4073  females  have  brought  a  general  aver- 
age of  $550."  Among  the  notable  American  sales  the  following 
are  of  interest.  In  1902  at  the  sale  of  Clem  Graves  of  Indiana, 
the  bull  Crusader  86596  sold  for  $10,000  and  the  cow  Dolly  2d 
61799  f°r  $7OOO>  tne  highest  prices  for  this  breed  in  America 
up  to  that  time.  In  January,  1902,  Perfection  92891  sold  in  the 
Thomas  Clark  sale  at  Chicago  to  G.  H.  Hoxie  for  $9000.  In  1913 
Colonel  E.  H.  Taylor,  Jr.,  bought  the  bull  Woodford  500000,  by 
Perfection,  for  $12,400.  Woodford  was  burned  to  death  in  his  stall 
in  1918.  On  March  i,  1916,  O.  Harris  and  Sons  of  Missouri 
held  a  sale,  when  61  head  averaged  $1246,  six  sons  of  Repeater 
289598  averaging  $3642.  On  February  28  and  March  I,  1917, 
the  same  firm  held  another  sale,  in  which  144  head  brought 
$184,450,  a  new  record  in  Hereford  values,  an  average  of  $1281 
per  head,  Gay  Lad  4Oth  503718  selling  for  $11,900  and  Bonnie 
Brae  6oth  413606  for  $10,050.  In  December,  1916,  at  a 
combination  sale  at  the  International  at  Chicago,  Woodford  6th 
505407,  by  Woodford  500000,  sold  for  $15,100  to  N.  J.  Camden 
of  Kentucky.  In  1917  the  bull  Ardmore  566000  was  sold  by 
Walter  L.  Yost  of  Missouri  to  W.  R.  and  W.  A.  Pickering  of  the 
same  state  for  $31,000,  the  top  price  for  a  Hereford  bull  up  to 
1918.  For  some  years  W.  T.  McCray  of  Indiana  has  held  remark- 
able sales,  and  on  May  22,  1918,  he  sold  75  head  for  $204,175, 
an  average  of  $2722,  only  two  animals  selling  for  as  little  as  $1000. 
On  June  7,  1918,  all  previous  records  were  broken  at  the  sale  of 
E.  H.  Taylor,  Jr.,  when  62  head  brought  $186,850,  an  average 
of  $3013.  At  this  sale  imported  Clive  Iris  3d  545495  brought 
the  record  price  of  $13,850  for  a  Hereford  cow.  Two  other  high 

1  American  Hereford  Journal,  June  15,  1918. 


THE  HEREFORD  273 

records  were  made  on  cows,  Maple  Lass  57th  512411  bringing 
$7700  and  Princess  H.  609673  reaching  $7800.  The  price  of 
$6300  paid  for  Columbia  March  On  543883  at  Mr.  McCray's 
sale  in  May  was  the  high  price  for  a  Hereford  cow  up  to  that 
date.  On  January  7,  1919,  Mousel  Brothers  of  Nebraska  broke 
all  previous  Hereford  sale  records,  selling  50  head  for  a  total  of 
$192,250,  an  average  of  $3845.  The  three-year-old  bull  Superior 
Domino  557924  sold  to  Mrs.  William  Braddock  of  Nebraska  for 
$21,000,  and  the  aged  cow  Mariana  8th  416438  to  Fritz  Bichel 
of  Nebraska  for  $7200.  Early  in  March,  1919,  the  bull  Richard 
Fairfax  449317,  by  Perfection  Fairfax  and  out  of  Real  Lady 
238518,  by  Beau  Real'  181680,  was  sold  by  L.  A.  Pinard  of  South 
Dakota  to  Ferguson  Brothers  of  Canby,  Minnesota,  for  $50,000, 
which  created  a  new  high  record  of  Hereford  values.  Finally,  on 
May  21  and  22,  1919,  Mr.  McCray  held  a  world-record  sale  for 
beef  cattle,  120  head  bringing  $436,250,  an  average  of  $3635. 
The  first  50  head  in  the  sale  averaged  $5360,  and  42  sons  and 
daughters  of  Perfection  Fairfax  averaged  $5591.  One  cow,  Miss 
Dale  Farmer  512485,  was  bought  by  Z.  M.  Crane  of  Dalton, 
Massachusetts,  for  $10,500.  Two  bulls  brought  very  high  prices 
in  England  in  1918  —  Ringer  (31920),  by  Starlight,  selling  for 
$45,000  at  the  sale  of  S.  C.  Hayter ;  and  Resolute,  by  Ringer, 
selling  for  $40,000  to  T.  R.  Thompson  of  Wales. 

The  distribution  of  the  Hereford  is  very  wide.  In  Great  Britain 
it  is  chiefly  bred  in  Herefordshire  and  vicinity,  though  herds  are 
kept  with  success  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales.  The  Hereford, 
however,  is  best  adapted  to  a  grazing  region  of  a  fair  degree  of 
level  surface,  and  its  introduction  to  the  plains  of  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  Argentine  Republic,  Canada,  and  the  United  States  has 
met  with  very  great  success.  No  breed  equals  the  Hereford  for 
withstanding  the  vicissitudes  of  the  great  ranges,  where  winter's 
cold  and  scarcity  of  feed  frequently  obtain.  The  thick  coat  of 
hair,  robust  constitution,  and  easy-keeping  quality  of  the  breed 
make  it  unusually  suited  to  such  conditions.  For  the  restricted 
surroundings  of  the  Eastern  farm,  where  grazing  is  not  so  abun- 
dant, the  Hereford  is  not  so  well  suited.  Yet  in  New  England, 
and  especially  in  Maine,  Herefords  have  long  been  popular.  The 
oxen  of  this  breed  have  for  many  years  met  with  favor  on  the  hills 


2/4 


CATTLE 


of  New  England.  While  the  Hereford  is  widely  bred  in  the 
United  States,  it  is  most  popular  in  Texas,  Missouri,  Iowa, 
Kansas,  Illinois,  Nebraska,  South  Dakota,  Wyoming,  Colorado, 
Oklahoma,  Minnesota,  New  Mexico,  Utah,  Indiana,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee,  and  Mississippi. 

The  promotion  of  Hereford  cattle  interests  is  well  established 
in  England  and  the  United  States.    The  "  Hereford  Herdbook  " 


FIG.  113.    Four  calves  sired  by  the   Hereford  bull  Wyoming  505146.     A  fine 

example  of  breed  character.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  through  courtesy 

of  W.  N.  W.  Blayney,  Denver,  Colorado,  owner  of  "Wyoming 

was  first  published  in  1846  by  T.  C.  Eyton,  and  in  1884  the 
Hereford  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  of  England  was  organized 
and  took  over  the  publication  of  the  herdbook,  of  which  fifty 
volumes  have  been  published  up  to  1919.  T.  L.  Miller  of  Illinois 
published  in  1881  the  first  "American  Hereford,  Herdbook,"  and 
the  same  year  the  American  Hereford  Breeders'  Association  was 
organized.  Up  to  January  i,  1919,  there  had  been  published 
forty-eight  volumes,  showing  a  registration  of  686,000  animals. 

In  Canada  there  is  a  Hereford  Association,  which  up  to  1918 
has  published  nine  volumes,  with  registrations  up  to  28,800  head. 


THE  HEREFORD  275 

In  1883  there  were  but  2500  Herefords  of  record  in  the  United 
States,  but  on  June  n,  1918,  this  number  had  increased  to 
711,485.  During  the  year  1918  there  were  recorded  on  the 
books  of  the  American  Hereford  Breeders'  Association  92,526 
registrations  and  76,018  transfers,  thus  giving  evidence  of  a  very 
large  amount  of  activity  with  the  breed  in  America.  At  the  end 
of  six  months,  in  1919,  the  American  Association  showed  a  total 
membership  on  its  books  of  10,000,  as  compared  with  4305 
stockholders  at  the  end  of  1910..  In  addition  to  the  American 
Hereford  Cattle  Breeders'  Association,  there  are  many  local  state 
and  community  associations  for  promoting  the  breed,  nearly  fifty 
being  on  record  up  to  1918.  An  important  medium  for  promoting 
the  breed  is  the  American  Hereford  Journal,  established  in  1909, 
published  semimonthly  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

POLLED  HEREFORDS 

The  origin  of  Polled  Herefords  dates  back  only  twenty-five 
years.  Messrs.  Mossom  Boyd  of  Bobcaygeon,  Ontario,  Canada, 
J.  L.  Torrey  of  Embar,  Wyoming,  and  W.  W.  Guthrie  of 
Atchison,  Kansas,  independent  of  each  other  sought  to  develop 
strains  of  polled  Hereford  cattle.  In  1898  the  author  saw  an 
exhibit  of  eight  head  by  Mr.  Guthrie  at  the  Trans-Mississippi 
Exposition  at  Omaha,  of  what  he  termed  "  Polled  Kansans." 
These  had  been  sired  by  a  polled  bull  resulting  from  crossing  a 
Hereford  bull  on  a  range-bred  grade  Shorthorn  cow.  These  were 
rather  plain  cattle.  Mr.  Boyd  attempted  to  produce  polled  Here- 
fords  by  using  Aberdeen-Angus  bulls  on  pure-bred  Hereford 
cows,  and  secured  some  polled  animals  with  Hereford  markings. 
C.  T.  Mercer  of  Iowa  also  bred  some  grade  Polled  Herefords,  using 
a  Red  Polled  bull  on  Hereford  cows.  The  efforts  of  Mr.  Guthrie, 
in  particular,  interested  Warren  Gammon  of  Iowa,  who  sent  a 
circular  letter  to  twenty-five  hundred  Hereford  breeders,  making 
inquiry  for  such  polled  cattle.  As  a  result  he  located  six  polled 
bulls  and  ten  cows.  Of  these  he  purchased  the  following :  the 
bulls  Giant  101740,  Tony  112173,  Wilson  126523,  Variation 
152699,  Wallace  L.  127078,  and  Too  Late,  a  nonbreeder ;  of 
cows,  Lora  115570,  Blue  Bell  106983,  Duchess  of  Bedford  22d 


276 


CATTLE 


64437,  Myrtle  Taylor  56671,  Olivia  98112,  Charity  66888,  and 
Beauty  95357-  This  furnished  the  foundation  stock  of  pure-bred 
polled  Hereford  blood  from  which  this  type  was  developed.  Giant 
proved  a  valuable  sire  in  the  Gammon  herd.  Wilson  was  bought  by 
Mr.  Cadwell  of  Illinois,  and  later  this  bull  and  Variation  were  used 
in  the  Boyd  herd.  Tony  was  first  leased  to  Mr.  Guthrie  and  later 
bought  by  him.  The  first  calves  in  the  Gammon  herd  from  this 
polled  foundation  came  in  1902.  Polled  matings  resulted  in  nearly 

100  per  cent  polled 
calves,  while  50  to  75 
per  cent  of  calves  sired 
by  polled  bulls  and  out 
of  horned  cows  were 
polled.  Among  the 
leading  early  improvers 
and  promoters,  besides 
those  mentioned  above, 
are  Benjamin  Johnson 
of  Indiana,  George  E. 
Ricker  of  Nebraska, 
Wyoming  Experiment 
Station,  Elijah  Field 

FIG.  114.   A  Polled  Hereford  bull  used  in  the  herd       and   Son,  T.  W.   Her- 
of  W.  W.  Guthrie,  Atchison,  Kansas.   From  photo-       ron    Q£    Ohio     and    S 
graph,  by  courtesy  of  Judge  Guthrie,  given  the 

author  in  1901  W.  Anderson  of  West 

Virginia. 

The  type  of  Polled  Hereford  is  essentially  that  of  the  horned 
Hereford  but  with  a  true  polled  head  pointed  at  the  top  rather 
than  broad  and  rounding  over,  such  as  obtains  with  cattle  arti- 
ficially dehorned.  The  early  type  of  polled  Hereford  lacked  in 
uniformity  and  did  not  possess  the  thick,  low-set,  blocky  form  so 
much  admired  in  the  best  beef  cattle  of  to-day.  However,  steady 
improvement  has  been  made,  so  that  to-day  there  are  polled  Here- 
fords  that  compare  favorably  with  the  best  of  those  with  horns. 

Two  strains  of  Polled  Herefords  naturally  resulted  from  the 
breeding  above  described  —  those  from  the  use  of  impure  blood, 
such  as  a  pure-bred  polled  bull  on  a  grade  cow,  and  known  as 
single  standard  ;  and  those  from  pure-bred  Hereford  ancestry,  as 


THE  HEREFORD 


277 


in  the  Gammon  foundation  stock,  and  known  as  double  standard. 
As  in  the  case  of  other  breeds  of  similar  ancestry,  the  double- 
standard  breeding  steadily  grew  in  favor,  finally  completely  over- 
shadowing the  single-standard. 

The  promotion  of  Polled  Hereford  cattle  through  a  breeding 
association  first  took  place  in  1900,  when  the  American  Polled 
Hereford  Cattle  Club  was  organized  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  Pro- 
vision was  made  to  register  and  transfer  both  single-  and  double- 
standard  cattle.  In  1907  this  club  was  reorganized,  under  the 
name  of  the  American 
Polled  Hereford  Breeders' 
Association,  and  separate 
herdbooks  were  provided 
for  single-  and  double- 
standard  bred  cattle.  At 
the  time  of  reorganization 
the  association  had  but  five 
members,  but  this  number 
had  increased  in  1918  to 
988.  In  1902  a  National 
Polled  Hereford  Breeders' 
Association  was  organized 

FIG.  115.    Head  of  Emperor  8874  (763715),  a 

in  Kansas,  but  in  1911  a  Polled  Hereford  bull  in  the  herd  of  J.  E.  Green 
Consolidation  was  effected  of  Indiana.  A  fine  type. 

between     this     and     the 

American,  continuing  under  the  name  of  the  latter.  A  herdbook 
is  maintained  by  the  association,  and  up  to  1917  three  volumes 
had  been  published  containing  11,200  registrations. 

The  distribution  of  Polled  Herefords  is  widespread.  During 
the  period  from  1901  to  1918  the  number  of  these  cattle  has 
increased  up  to  about  20,000,  distributed  in  forty-four  states  of 
the  Union,  with  Iowa  as  the  central  point  of  importance.  Early 
in  1918  there  were  4300  Polled  Hereford  herds  on  record,  and 
more  than  1000  were  established  in  1918.  In  1917  there  were 
registered  2725  double-standard  animals. 

Prices  paid  for  Polled  Herefords  have  reached  high  levels. 
Prices  from  $500  to  $700  ten  years  ago  were  regarded  as  satis- 
factory, but  with  the  opening  of  1918  the  influence  of  higher 


278 


CATTLE 


values  on  all  live  stock  was  felt.  In  two  sales  held  in  Iowa  early 
in  February,  230  head  averaged  $630.  At  the  third  annual  sale 
of  the  American  Polled  Hereford  Breeders'  Association  at  Des 
Moines,  in  1918,  sixteen  bulls  averaged  $1419,  and  twenty-six 
cows  $1114.50,  the  general  average  being  $1230.  The  top  bull 


FIG.  T 1 6.    A  pasture  view  in  Herefordshire.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

was  Polled  Repeater  2d  10646,  a  grandson  of  Repeater  289598 
on  sire's  and  dam's  side  bringing  $4000.  Eight  head  passed  the 
$2000  mark.  At  the  fourth  sale  of  the  association,  in  February, 
1919,  fifty  head  averaged  $1163.  On  March  28,  1919,  W .  A. 
Wilkey  &  Company,  Sullivan,  Indiana,  bought  at  auction  of  the 
Renner  Stock  Farm  of  Indiana  the  seven-year-old  bull  Bullion  4th 
(3062)  428446  for  $9500,  the  highest  price  to  this  date  for  a 
Polled  Hereford. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 

The  native  home  of  the  Aberdeen-Angus  breed  of  cattle  is  in 
northeastern  Scotland,  especially  in  the  counties  of  Aberdeen, 
Kincardine,  and  Forfar.  In  southern  Aberdeen,  in  the  Buchan 
district,  the  breed  was  long  known  as  "Buchan  hiimlies,"  while  in 
the  section  of  Forfar  known  as  Angus  these  cattle  were  called 
"Angus  Doddies."  The  words  "homyl,"  "humble,"  "humle," 
"doddie,"  and  "dodded"  are  the  Scotch  terms  for  polled,  or  horn- 
less. This  section  of  Scotland  is  north  of  56°  and  lies  about  a 
thousand  miles  north  of  the  latitude  of  Chicago.  The  climate  is 
rather  damp  and  cold  much  of  the  time.  The  land  is  hilly  or 
mountainous  in  the  main,  part  of  it  being  better  suited  to  grazing 
than  anything  else,  though  roots,  barley,  oats,  and  hay  are  quite 
extensively  produced. 

The  origin  of  the  Aberdeen-Angus  is  purely  speculative.  Among 
the  wild  white  cattle  of  Britain  were  polled  animals,  and  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  may  have  descended  from  these.  Some  of  the 
Scotch  writers  incline  to  the  belief  that  this  breed  is  a  sport  from  a 
black  breed  with  horns,  which  formerly  existed  in  Scotland.  Horn- 
less cattle  have  been  known  in  Scotland  for  long  over  a  century.  In 
an  account  book  kept  by  a  Mr.  Graham  record  is  made  June  9, 1752, 
of  purchasing  a  two-year-old  heifer  "doded."  The  first  printed 
reference  to  hornless  cattle  in  Angus  is  dated  1797  in  the  Old 
Statistical  Account  of  the  parish  of  Bendochy,  where  it  is  said  of 
1229  cattle  in  the  parish  "many  of  them  are  dodded,  wanting 
horns." 

Professor  Wilson  states1  that  "early  in  the  eighteenth  century 
there  sprang  up  in  England  a  demand  for  hornless  cattle  which 
was  responded  to  first  in  Galloway  and  considerably  later  in  the 
northeastern  counties.  The  result  was  that  breeders  elected  to 
breed  from  hornless  cattle ;  and  hornlessness,  which  had  hitherto 

1  James  Wilson,  The  Evolution  of  British  Cattle,  p.  53.    London,  1909. 

279 


280  CATTLE 

been  practically  confined  to  the  country  near  the  coast,  moved 
farther  and  farther  inland.  By  Youatt's  time  (1834)  the  horned 
and  the  hornless  cattle  were  almost  numerically  equal  in  the  interior 
of  the  northeastern  counties,  while  the  hornless  ones  were  still 
in  the  majority  on  the  coast.  A  quarter  of  a  century  later  the  horns 
had  been  almost  entirely  removed  from  the  inland  black  cattle." 

About  1835  Youatt  wrote  "that  there  have  always  been  polled 
cattle  in  Angus"  and  states  that  about  1775  attention  was  first 
directed  to  them  by  enterprising  farmers.  Mr.  William  Forbes  of 
Aberdeenshire,  writing  Macdonald  and  Sinclair  over  thirty  years 
ago,  mentions  two  sorts  of  polled  cattle  common  in  Buchan  about 
the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  One  of  these  was  a  rather 
small,  puny  type,  thin-fleshed,  such  as  the  crofters  (small-farm 
renters)  kept ;  the  other  a  larger  kind,  some  black,  some  brindled, 
which  more  readily  submitted  to  Shorthorn  blood  than  did  the 
former  but  lacked  its  power  of  reproduction  of  polled  character. 

The  earliest  improvers  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  are  of  a  com- 
paratively recent  period  and  are  limited  in  number.  Among  those  of 
greatest  note  were  the  following  :  in  Forfarshire  :  William  Watson, 
William  Fullerton  of  Ardovie,  Lord  Southesk,and  Alexander  Bowie 
of  Mains  of  Kelly ;  in  Kincardine :  Robert  Walker  of  Portlethen 
Mains,  Mr.  Hector  of  Fernyflatt,  Sir  Thomas  Burnett  of  The 
Leys,  and  Mr.  Mclnroy  of  The  Burn  and  Portlethen  ;  in  Aber- 
deenshire :  William  McCombie,  Colonel  Fraser  of  Castle  Fraser, 
Mr.  Walker  of  Ardhundcart,  and  Mr.- Cooper  of  Hillbrae ;  in 
Banff :  Sir  John  Macpherson  Grant  of  Ballindalloch,  Mr.  Brown 
of  Westertown,  Mr.  Walker  of  Montbletton,  and  Mr.  Patterson 
of  Mulben.  Of  the  above  improvers  several  were  great  constructive 
breeders  and  deserve  special  consideration. 

Hugh  Watson  of  Keillor,  Meigle,  Forfar,  was  the  first  really 
great  Aberdeen-Angus  improver  —  the  Colling  of  this  breed.  He 
was  born  in  1789,  became  a  tenant  at  Keillor  in  1808,  and 
remained  there  fifty-six  years,  dying  in  1865.  His  father  and 
grandfather  were  lovers  of  good  cattle,  and  when  Hugh  went  to 
Keillor  he  took  six  cows  and  a  bull,  all  black,  with  him.  He  also 
bought  the  same  year,  at  Brechin,  ten  of  the  best  heifers  of  various 
colors  that  he  could  find  and  a  black  bull  named  Tarnty  Jock. 
Most  writers  assume  that  Watson  began  his  work  of  improvement 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 


281 


on  settling  at  Keillor,  but  his  daughter  states  that  this  did  not 
begin  until  about  1815  or  1816,  his  ambition  being  aroused  by  a 
visit  to  the  English  Shorthorn  country.  Watson  in-and-in  bred 
and  produced  a  more  early-maturing,  heavier-fleshed,  blockier 
type  that  dressed  out  better  than  ever  before.  He  also  empha- 
sized family  lines  and  bred  each  family  rather  within  itself.  His 
bull  Old  Jock  (i),  calved  in  1842,  a  great-grandson  of  Tarnty 


FIG.  117.    Blackcap  Bertram  183787,  a  noted  Aberdeen-Angus  show  bull  and  sire. 

Sold  by  C.  D.  and  E.  F.  Caldwell,  Burlington  Junction,  Missouri,  for  $45,000  to 

L.  B.  McCanum,  Aledo,  Illinois.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy 

of  Caldwell  and  Caldwell 

Jock,  was  his  most  valuable  sire,  possessing  remarkable  quality 
and  constitution,  and  was  a  noted  show  animal.  Watson's  most 
famous  cow,  Old  Grannie  (I),  was  one  of  the  wonders  of  the 
bovine  race.  It  is  thought  that  this  cow  was  among  the  original 
six  bought  by  Watson,  and  that  he  secured  her  from  a  breeder 
in  Kincardineshire.  She  lived  to  be  thirty-six  years  old  and  had 
twenty-five  calves,  the  last  a  bull  of  merit,  named  Hugh  (130), 
being  dropped  in  her  twenty-ninth  year.  Referring  to  Watson  as 
a  breeder  Mr.  McCombie1  pays  him  the  following  high  compliment : 

1  William  McCombie,  Cattle  and  Cattle  Breeders.    Edinburgh,  1869. 


282  (  ATTLK 

"We  all  look  up  to  him  as  the  first  great  improver,  and  no  one 
will  question  his  title  to  this  distinction.  There  is  no  herd  in  the 
country  which  is  not  indebted  to  the  Keillor  blood."  The  first 
great  show  of  black  polled  cattle  was  made  in  1829  at  Perth, 
and  all  the  animals  but  one  were  shown  by  Watson,  who  con- 
tinued a  most  successful  exhibitor  at  various  Scotch  shows  until 
1852,  when  he  discontinued  exhibiting. 

William  McCombie  was  born  at  Tillyfour,  Aberdeen,  in  1805 
and  died  in  1880,  a  few  months  before  the  dispersal  of  his  herd. 
In  1830  he  began  a  polled  herd  purchased  from  the  best  breeders 
of  the  time,  consisting  of  "Aberdeens"  from  St.  John's  Wells 
and  Wester  Fintray,  and  "Angus"  from  Keillor,  Balwyllo,  Dal- 
gairns,  and  elsewhere.  He  was  a  great  believer  in  the  importance 
of  individual  merit  coupled  with  superior  pedigree,  and  empha- 
sized the  value  of  the  sire.  At  William  Fullerton's  sale  he  bought 
Queen  Mother  (348),  from  which  he  developed  the  famous  Queen 
tribe.  McCombie  bred  Pride  of  Aberdeen  (581),  the  founder  of 
the  Pride  family  and  one  of  the  most  famous  show  cows  of  the 
breed.  McCombie  improved  on  the  work  of  Watson  and  became 
his  worthy  successor.  His  success  in  the  show  ring  was  mar- 
velous. He  not  only  exhibited  at  the  leading  Scotch  shows  but 
also  in  France  on  four  different  occasions,  always  with  eminent 
success.  In  1878  his  herd  at  the  Paris  International  Exposition 
won  the  grand  championship  against  all  breeds  and  attracted 
international  attention.  Many  regard  McCombie  as  the  most  dis- 
tinguished improver  and  promoter  of  the  breed. 

William  Fullerton  was  born  in  1810,  founded  a  herd  at 
Ardovie  in  1833,  and  died  in  1880.  McDonald  and  Sinclair 
state1  that  when  he  secured  possession  of  the  home  farm  in  1833 
there  were  three  black  cows  on  the  place,  and  intending  to  estab- 
lish a  herd  of  "  doddies  "  he  went  to  Brechin  market  and  made 
his  first  purchase,  this  being  the  cow  Black  Meg  (766),  later  to 
become  one  of  the  famous  animals  of  the  breed.  In  1841  Mr. 
Fullerton  bought  the  bull  Panmure  (51)  at  Lord  Panmure's  sale, 
which  he  bred  to  a  daughter  of  Black  Meg  known  as  Queen  of 
Ardovie  (29),  from  which  union  resulted  Queen  Mother  (348), 
that  was  sold  as  a  yearling  to  McCombie.  The  Ardovie  herd  was 

1  History  of  Aberdeen-Angus  Cattle.    London,  1910. 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 


283 


destroyed  by  pleuro-pneumonia  in  1849-1850,  but  during  his  day 
Mr.  Fullerton  was  regarded  as  a  foremost  constructive  breeder. 

Sir  George  Macpherson  Grant  of  Ballindalloch,  Banffshire,  who 
died  in  1907,  was  long  a  noted  breeder.  In  1869  Mr.  McCombie 
wrote  that  "perhaps  the  Ballindalloch  herd  of  polled  cattle  are 
the  oldest  in  the  North ;  they  have  been  the  talk  of  the  country 
since  my  earliest  recollection,  and  were  then  superior  to  all  other 
stock."  Since  the  time  of  McCombie  this  has  been  regarded  as 
the  premier  herd  of  Scotland.  Here  some  of  the  best  bulls  of  the 
breed  produced  in  the  past  forty  years  have  been  bred,  including 
Juryman  (4  21),  Ermine 
Bearer  1749,  Prince 
Inca  (7844),  Bush- 
ranger (732),  Justice 
854,  Judge  47  3,  Prince 
Ito  (50006),  Eltham 
(9120),  Bion  36986, 
Emulus  20417,  Eblito 
50098,  Eblamere 

(21781),  and  Eques- 
trian 34216.  The  cows 
Erica  184,  Jilt  422, 
and  Coquette  2538 
are  among  the  famous 
founders  of  families  at 
Ballindalloch.  On  the  death  of  Sir  George  Macpherson  Grant 
his  son  Sir  John  succeeded  him  and  is  maintaining  the  herd. 

The  introduction  of  Aberdeen- Angus  cattle  to  America  was  com- 
paratively recent.  In  1873  George  Grant  of  Victoria,  Kansas, 
brought  the  first  to  America,  the  importation  being  three  bulls, 
two  of  which  were  shown  at  the  Kansas  State  Fair.  These  bulls 
were  imported  to  use  on  Western-range  cows.  In  1876  the 
Ontario  Agricultural  College  at  Guelph  brought  to  Canada  two 
bulls  and  a  cow.  In  1878  Anderson  &  Findlay  of  Lake  Forest, 
Illinois,  imported  five  cows  and  a  bull,  this  being  the  first  firm 
to  exhibit  prominently  in  the  Central  West.  In  1879  F.  B.  Red- 
field  of  Batavia,  New  York,  and  in  1880  George  Whitfield  of 
Rougemont,  Quebec,  made  importations.  In  1881  and  1882  a 


FIG.  118.  Everard  2d  of  Maismore  (31888),  the 
most  noted  recent-day  Aberdeen- Angus  show  bull 
in  England.  From  photograph  by  the  author  in  1914 


284  CATTLE 

number  of  importations  were  made,  including  a  very  superior  lot 
by  Gudgell  &  Simpson  of  Missouri.  In  1882  Mr.  T.  W.  Harvey 
established  at  Turlington,  Nebraska,  in  charge  of  William  Watson 
(a  son  of  the  famous  Hugh),  a  herd  of  Aberdeen- Angus  that  for 
ten  years,  until  its  dispersion,  was  a  wonderful  factor  in  advertis- 
ing the  breed,  containing  as  it  did  some  of  the  most  noted  cattle 
of  the  time.  Between  1880  and  1883  inclusive  it  is  estimated 
that  about  two  thousand  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  were  imported 
to  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

Characteristics  of  the  Aberdeen- Angus  cattle.  In  general  con- 
formation this  breed  differs  somewhat  from  the  Shorthorn  and 
Hereford.  On  this  especial  subject  a  leading  Scotch  authority 
makes  an  interesting  comparison  of  this  breed  and  the  Shorthorn,1 
which  is  well  worth  presenting  here  : 

In  general  form  a  model  polled  animal  differs  considerably  from  a  model 
Shorthorn.  Both  should  be  lengthy,  deep,  wide,  even,  proportionate,  and 
cylindrical.  The  polled  animal,  however,  should  be  more  truly  cylindrical  in 
the  body  than  the  Shorthorn.  Its  points  should  be  more  quickly  rounded  off : 
or,  in  other  words,  the  frame  of  the  polled  animal  is  not  so  fully  drawn  out  to 
the  square  as  that  of  the  Shorthorn.  Critics  pointed  out  in  some  of  the  best 
polled  animals  of  about  half  a  century  ago  a  tendency  to  approach  too  nearly 
to  the  square  type  of  the  Shorthorn.  In  a  beef  producing  animal  a  broad, 
square  frame  can  hardly  be  said  to  be  a  blemish ;  for  if  it  is  thoroughly  well 
covered  all  over,  it  will  carry  more  beef  than  a  rounder  frame.  A  compact,  well 
rounded  frame  has  always  been  a  leading  characteristic  of  the  polled  breed, 
and  the  main  reason  why  a  square  Shorthorn-looking  frame  is  objected  to  in 
a  polled  animal  is  that  such  a  form  is  foreign  to  the  breed. 

The  head  tapers  at  the  poll  and  is  somewhat  prominent  in  the 
forehead.,  while  the  distance  between  the  prominent  eyes  is  con- 
siderable and  the  length  of  nose  only  medium.  The  head  as  a 
whole  impresses  one  as  belonging  to  a  good  feeder  type,  showing 
a  strong,  full  muzzle  and  nostril.  The  neck  is  usually  smoothly 
attached  to  head  and  shoulder,  showing  excellent  finish,  but  the 
shoulder,  sometimes  tends  to  be  a  bit  prominent  instead  of  nicely 
laid.  The  back  tends  to  sag  some  behind  the  withers,  although 
with  the  best  specimens  this  weakness  is  not  manifest.  The  ribs, 
as  already  indicated,  show  a  rounded  rather  than  square  turn,  and 

1  James  Macdonald  and  James  Sinclair,  History  of  Aberdeen-Angus  Cattle, 
p.  418.  London,  1910. 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS  285 

the  body  has  a  great  relative  depth  with  corresponding  shortness 
of  leg.  The  hips  of  the  Aberdeen-Angus  are  usually  neatly 
covered  and  well  laid  in.  The  rump  frequently  slopes  consider- 
ably to  each  side  of  the  tail  head,  which  may  set  level  or  be  a  bit 
high,  but  is  usually  long  and  heavily  fleshed.  The  thigh  and  twist 
carry  as  great  a  relative  proportion  of  meat  to  bone  as  any  breed 
of  beef  cattle,  though  it  often  lacks  the  squareness  of  the  Short- 
horn at  the  back  thigh,  being  rounder  in  outline  and  very  deep 


FIG.  119.    Eritus  5th  245516,  by  Blackcap  Bertram  183787,  first-prize  junior  year- 
ling and  reserve-champion  Aberdeen-Angus  female  at  the  1918  International  Live- 
stock Exposition.    Photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  the  owners  of  the 
cow,  C.  D.  and  E.  F.  Caldwell,  Burlington  Junction,  Missouri 

in  the  twist.  The  leg  is  usually  short  and  fine  in  quality  of  bone 
and  joint.  In  quality  this  breed  is  of  the  first  rank,  as  shown  by 
the  mellow,  elastic,  medium  thick  skin,  the  fine  coat  of  hair,  and 
moderate  joints  and  small  bone.  Compared  with  the  Galloway 
the  Aberdeen-Angus  has  a  smoother,  shorter  coat  of  hair  and 
generally  a  shorter,  blockier  type  of  body,  with  more  spring  and 
depth  of  rib.  The  temperament,  in  general,  is  more  nervous  than 
that  of  the  Shorthorn. 

The  color  of  Aberdeen- Angus  cattle  is  almost  universally  black, 
though  red  occurs  at  rare  intervals.    In  the  early  days  of  the 


286  CATTLE 

breed  the  colors  were  variable  —  brindle,  brown,  striped,  and  red 
being  common.  A  century  or  more  ago,  according  to  Professor 
Wilson,1  there  were  colors  and  markings  among  them  not  now 
seen  at  all,  such  as  dun,  yellow,  "  silver-colored  yellow  "  as  given 
by  Youatt,  and  white  stripes  along  the  back  and  belly.  Thirty 
years  ago  a  red  calf,  a  calf  with  white  face  markings  or  with 
white  flecks  on  the  body,  was  not  uncommon.  At  the  present 
time,  however,  pure  reds  are  occasionally  seen,  and  white  about 
the  rear  of  the  underline  is  rather  common,  but  the  process  of 
selection  and  improvement  has  fixed  more  and  more  firmly  the 
uniform  solid  black  color  now  so  characteristic  of  the  breed.  The 
subject  of  color  is  given  official  recognition  by  the  American 
Aberdeen-Angus  Breeders'  Association,  for  under  the  rules 
11  males  red  in  color,  or  with  a  noticeable  amount  of  pure  white 
above  the  underline,  or  on  leg  or  legs,  or  with  scurs,  shall  not 
be  eligible  to  entry  for  breeding  purposes."  A  black  cod  is  pre- 
ferred in  the  bull,  but  white  udders  with  cows,  with  some  white 
between  navel  and  udder  on  females,  are  not  objectionable.  Red 
cows  may  be  registered,  however,  and  also  black  ones  with  small 
white  spots  on  head,  body,  or  legs. 

The  weight  of  Aberdeen- Angus  cattle  compares  favorably  with 
the  Shorthorn  and  Hereford,  although  as  a  rule  they  are  not  quite 
so  heavy.  In  1912  B.  O.  Cowan  gave  some  interesting  compari- 
sons of  Aberdeen-Angus  and  Shorthorn  weights  as  taken  at  the 
American  Royal  at  Kansas  City  and  at  the  International  at 
Chicago.2  At  the  former  show,  in  but  one  of  twenty-four  classes 
did  the  average  weight  of  the  Aberdeen-Angus  entries  equal  that 
of  the  Shorthorns.  In  senior  yearling  bulls  the  Aberdeen-Angus 
average  was  1473  pounds  and  the  Shorthorn  1467,  while  29  three- 
year-old  Aberdeen-Angus  bulls  averaged  1970  pounds  and  41 
Shorthorns  2224  ;  27  two-year-old  Aberdeen- Angus  bulls  aver- 
aged 1787  pounds,  40  Shorthorns,  1917;  54  Aberdeen-Angus 
cows  averaged  1505  pounds,  41  Shorthorns  1730;  63  two-year- 
old  Aberdeen-Angus  cows  averaged  1411  pounds,  46  Shorthorns 
1530,  with  a  corresponding  advantage  in  favor  of  Shorthorns 
in  every  class  but  one.  At  the  International  in  1910  a  similar 

1  The  Evolution  of  British  Cattle,  1909. 
-  Breeders'  Gazetie,  October  9,  1912,  p.  722. 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 


287 


situation  prevailed,  the  Aberdeen-Angus  outweighing  the  Shorthorn 
in  but  one  class,  that  of  senior  yearling  bull,  the  respective  weights 
being  1575  and  1574  pounds.  Ten  aged  Aberdeen-Angus  bulls 
averaged  2064  pounds,  and  n  aged  Shorthorns  2281  ;  9  two- 
year-old  Aberdeen- Angus  bulls  averaged  1867  pounds,  and  12 
Shorthorns  1980;  13  aged  Aberdeen-Angus  cows  averaged  1641 
pounds,  and  10  Shorthorns  1876  ;  14  two-year-old  Aberdeen-Angus 
heifers  averaged  1425  pounds  and  14  Shorthorns  1591.  However, 


FIG.  120.    Lady  of  Meadowbrook  21466,  by  Zaire  5th  13067.    A  noted  Aberdeen- 
Angus  show  cow,  winning  the  highest  awards  in  1898,  1899,  and  1900  at  the  lead- 
ing fairs.    Owned  by  D.  Bradfute  &  Son,  Xenia,  Ohio.    From  photograph,  by 
courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

some  very  large  specimens  of  the  breed  are  recorded.  The  bull 
Judge  is  said  to  have  weighed  2800  pounds,  and  his  brother  Justice 
in  full  flesh  exceeded  3000.  Probably  no  breed  weighs  heavier  for 
its  size  than  this. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  rank  high, 
and  in  this  respect  they  are  fairly  comparable  with  the  Shorthorn 
and  Hereford.  Years  ago  the  maturing  qualities  were  not  of  the 
best,  but  any  deficiency  in  that  respect  has  been  overcome.  Mac- 
donald  and  Sinclair  state  that  when  well  fed  from  their  birth 
good  specimens  of  the  breed  become  ripe  at  the  age  of  from 


288  CATTLE 

twenty-four  to  twenty-eight  months.  In  the  American  markets 
feeders  showing  marked  Aberdeen-Angus  blood  rank  well. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Aberdeen- Angus  has  been  testified  to  by 
the  adherents  of  the  breed  since  the  earliest  days  of  its  improve- 
ment. Old  Grannie  has  often  been  cited  in  this  regard  on  account 
of  producing  25  calves  during  thirty-six  years  of  life.  Black  Meg 
(766),  already  referred  to,  was  a  breeder  up  to  her  twentieth  year. 
Zarilda  2d  in  the  Heatherton  herd  of  J.  S.  Goodwin  had  19  calves, 
none  being  twins,  and  died  as  she  approached  her  twenty-fifth 
year.  Lintie  of  Balvenie  (6933)  was  calved  in  1883  and  dropped 
17  calves  during  twenty  years.  Pride  of  Aberdeen  7th  (1777), 
Erica  (843),  Elba  (7045),  Bride  (13343),  Waterside  Alexandra 
(7948),  and  Gay  Lass  2d  (4723)  are  on  record  as  being  consistent 
breeders  up  to  eighteen  or  twenty  years  of  age.  Seventy-six 
Aberdeen-Angus  cows  are  recorded  as  having  had  12  or  more 
calves  each,  and  26  bulls  are  said  to  have  sired  over  100  calves 
each,  His  Highness  6th  having  sired  189.  Prolificacy  may  fairly 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  valuable  and  notable  characteristics  of 
this  breed. 

The  Aberdeen- Angus  as  a  milk  producer  without  doubt  inherits 
distinct  merit  from  the  old  Buchan  polled  cattle.  In  1805  it  is 
said  that  the  total  dairy  products  of  Aberdeenshire  amounted  to 
$1,150,000,  most  of  which  came  from  the  Buchan  district. 
G.  J.  Walker  of  Portlethen,  Scotland,  is  credited  with  an  average 
yield  of  7866  pounds  of  milk  from  a  herd  of  twelve.  The  Earl 
of  Airlie,  Cortachy  Castle,  has  emphasized  milk  production  in  his 
herd,  and  according  to  Macdonald  and  Sinclair  he  owned  seven- 
teen Aberdeen-Angus  cows,  the  greater  number  of  which  gave 
from  12  to  14  and  sometimes  16  Scotch  pints  (i  pint  weighing 
2|-  pounds)  for  a  considerable  time  after  calving.  There  are 
many  published  examples  of  the  milking  capacity  of  this  breed, 
which  places  the  Aberdeen-Angus  in  much  the  same  class  as  the 
Shorthorn  in  this  respect.  The  quality  of  the  milk  is  above  the 
average.  This  is  shown  in  a  herd  of  pure-breds  and  grades  kept 
at  one  time  by  J.  H.  Moore  of  Illinois,  who  sold  the  milk  to  a 
condensed-milk  factory,  where  the  fat  content  of  the  herd  aver- 
aged from  4  to  4.50  per  cent  for  the  entire  season,  with  Novem- 
ber tests  averaging  as  high  as  5.32  per  cent. 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS  289 

The  Aberdeen-Angus  as  a  producer  of  beef  occupies  a  position 
of  the  highest  rank,  for  almost  since  the  day  of  Hugh  Watson  the 
breed  has  been  distinguished  for  this  quality.  In  1829  Watson 
showed  a  pair  of  oxen  that  attracted  much  notice,  one  of  which 
was  slaughtered,  and  its  carcass  said  to  be  of  rare  quality. 
McCombie  showed  a  steer,  Black  Prince,  in  1867  which  at  four 
years  of  age  won  the  highest  honors  at  Birmingham  and  Smith- 
field.  This  steer  was  sent  to  Windsor  for  inspection  by  Queen 


FIG.  121.    Clear  Lake  Jute  2d,  a  pure-bred  Aberdeen- Angus  steer,  grand  cham- 
pion at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition,  Chicago,  1904.    Fed  and  shown 
by  the  University  of  Minnesota   School  of  Agriculture.    From  photograph  by 
courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

Victoria,  at  her  request,  so  great  was  his  fame,  and  later  he  sold 
for  $600  for  slaughter.  For  years  either  pure-bred  or  grade 
Aberdeen-Angus  steers  have  held  the  highest  places  of  honor  at 
the  leading  English  fat-stock  shows,  at  the  Chicago  and  Kansas 
City  fat-stock  shows,  and  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposi- 
tion. The  following  are  some  of  the  more  important  prizes  won 
by  Aberdeen-Angus  pure-bred  or  grade  steers  in  American  show 
rings.  The  first  pure  steer  of  the  breed  shown  was  Black  Prince, 
weighing  2300  pounds  as  a  three-year-old,  imported  by  Geary 
Brothers  of  Canada  in  1883  and  exhibited  that  year  at  the  Kansas 


290 


CATTLE 


City  and  American  fat-stock  shows.  He  was  not  made  grand  cham- 
pion, but  at  Chicago  was  awarded  sweepstakes  as  the  best  three- 
year-old  beast  passed  on  by  butchers.  In  1885  the  steer  Sandy, 
shown  by  Gudgell  &  Simpson,  won  the  yearling  championship  of 
the  Kansas  City  and  Chicago  shows  and  also  the  medal  offered  by 
the  Polled  Cattle  Society  of  Scotland.  In  1886  Sandy  was  cham- 
pion steer  of  the  Kansas  City  show,  winning  numerous  prizes  for 
being  the  best  steer  shown.  At  nine  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
days  he  weighed  1885  pounds.  In  1887,  at  the  same  show,  Black 
Prince  of  Turlington,  a  famous  bullock  exhibited  by  T.  W.  Harvey, 
won  the  sweepstakes  over  the  steer  Dot  shown  by  Messrs.  Estill 
of  Missouri,  though  the  next  year?  at  the  American  Fat-Stock 
Show  at  Chicago,  Dot  was  grand  champion  over  all  breeds.  For 
some  years  thereafter  the  exhibit  of  Angus  steers  did  not  attract 
much  attention,  the  cattle  market  being  very  quiet.  The  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition  at  Chicago,  with  its  first  show  in 
1900,  established  a  new  arena  for  beef  competition.  From  that 
year  up  to  1919  inclusive,  excepting  1914  and  1915,  the  leading 
fat-stock  show  on  the  American  continent  has  been  held  under  its 
supervision.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  at  the  eighteen  Inter- 
national shows  held  up  to  the  year  1919  inclusive,  the  grand- 
champion  steer  in  eleven  .contests  was  an  Aberdeen- Angus. 


NAME  OF  STEER 

OWNER 

YEAR 
CHAMPION 

PKICE  sou> 
PER  POUND 

Advance  
Shamrock  (grade)  .  .  . 
Clear  Lake  Jute  2d  .  .  . 
Black  Rock  (grade)  .  . 
Fyvie  Knight  
King  Ellsworth  .... 
Shamrock  2d  (grade)  .  . 
Victor 

B.  R.  Pierce,  Illinois 
Iowa  State  College 
University  of  Minnesota 
Iowa  State  College 
Purdue  University 
Kansas  State  Agricul.  College 
Iowa  State  College 

IQOO 
1902 
1904 

1905 

1908 
1909 
1910 

$1.50 
0.56 
0.36 
0.25 
0.26i 

0.18 
0.60 

Glencarnock  Victor      .     . 
Glencarnock  Victor  2d 
Fyvie  Knight  2d       .     .     . 

J.  D.  McGregor,  Canada 
J.  D.  McGregor,  Canada 
Purdue  University 

1912 

J9J3 
1918 

0.50 
(Not  sold) 
2.50 

In  the  grand-champion  contest  in  carload  lots  held  at  the  Inter- 
national during  the  past  eighteen  years,  fourteen  times  this  award 
has  gone  to  the  Aberdeen-Angus.  E.  P.  Hall  of  Illinois  won 
the  carload  championship  in  1910,  1912,  1916,  and  1917,  the 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 


291 


load  for  the  last  year  bringing  $42.50  per  hundred  at  auction, 
the  highest  price  up  to  that  time  ever  paid  for  a  fat  carload. 
Glaus  Krambeck  of  Iowa  won  the  championship  in  1904,  1905, 
and  1907  ;  Funk  Brothers  of  Illinois  in  1906  and  1908  ;  L.  H. 
Kerrick  of  Illinois  in  1900;  Charles  Escher  of  Iowa  in  1902;" 
and  Escher  and  Ryan  of  Iowa  in  1911  and  1913.  The  carcass 
contest  on  single  steers  at  the  International,  excepting  in  1900, 


FIG.  122.    Fyvie  Knight  2d,  pure-bred  Aberdeen- Angus  steer,  grand  champion 
over  all  breeds,  grades,  and  crosses  at  the  1918  International  Live-Stock  Expo- 
sition.   Bred  and  exhibited  by  Purdue  University,  La  Fayette,  Indiana.    From 
photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  J.  H.  Skinner 

has  been  won  each  year  by  a  pure-bred  or  grade  Aberdeen- Angus. 
Five  state  agricultural  colleges  —  Iowa,  Michigan,  Minnesota, 
Nebraska,  and  Ohio  —  have  fed  Aberdeen-Angus  steers  whose 
carcasses  were  awarded  the  grand  championship.  At  Smithfield, 
in  London,  where  the  great  British  show  of  beef  stock  is  held,  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  has  done  hardly  as  well  as  at  Chicago,  but  be- 
tween 1900  and  1917  grand  championship  on  fat  steer  or  heifer 
has  ten  times  gone  to  this  breed.  Certain  factors  have  affected  the 
awarding  of  premier  place  to  the  Aberdeen-Angus.  The  animal 


292  CATTLE 

dresses  out  a  high  per  cent  of  carcass  to  offal,  the  meat  is  fine  of 
grain  or  texture,  the  fat  is  distributed  throughout  the  lean  so  as  to 
show  most  desirable  marbling,  the  color  is  usually  a  bright  red, 
while  the  quality  is  unsurpassed.  Without  question  the  American 
butcher  in  a  discriminating  market  pays  the  top  price  for  Aberdeen- 
Angus  cattle.  Well  fattened,  a  two-year-old  steer  of  the  breed  may 
be  expected  to  dress  out  65  per  cent  carcass  to  offal,  or  better. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Aberdeen-Angus  bullock  has  long  been 
regarded  with  especial  favor  by  feeders  and  butchers.  Robert 
Bruce,  a  well-known  British  authority,  in  commenting1  on  cross- 
ing the  Aberdeen-Angus  and  Shorthorn,  states  that  this  cross 
is  highly  valued  by  northern  breeders,  and  the  large  number  of 
farmers  in  England  and  Ireland  who  have  resorted  to  this  cross 
proves  pretty  clearly  the  general  appreciation  of  the  many  good 
qualities  belonging  to  the  blend.  Where  ordinary  judgment  is 
exercised  in  the  selection  of  sires  and  dams,  the  excellence  of 
the  produce  is  at  once  assured,  as  the  blending  of  the  Shorthorn 
and  Aberdeen- Angus  blood  results  not  only  in  a  superior  butchers' 
animal  but  also  in  a  quick-feeding  and  rent-paying  one.  A 
glance  at  the  records  of  the  great  fat-stock  shows  at  once  indi- 
cates the  important  position  taken  by  these  Shorthorn-Aberdeen- 
Angus  crosses  in  the  annual  prize-award  lists.  There  has  been 
a  widespread  demand  for  Aberdeen-Angus  bulls  for  crossing  pur- 
poses all  over  the  north  of  Scotland,  and  this  system  of  cross- 
ing has  also  made  its  way  into  other  portions  of  the  kingdom. 
In  my  opinion  it  is  immaterial  how  the  cross  is  brought  in  — 
whether  through  the  Shorthorn  sire  on  the  Polled  cow  or  the 
Polled  bull  and  the  Shorthorn  cow.  Circumstances  and  situation 
may  alone  be  left  to  guide  the  breeder  in  the  selection  of  the 
sire  to  use.  A  mating  of  Aberdeen-Angus  to  white  Shorthorn 
produces  a  blue-gray  animal  that  for  many  years  has  been  a 
prime  favorite  on  the  British  market.  In  America  such  cross- 
breds  are  not  so  common.  At  the  Smithfield  Fat-Stock  Show  in 
England,  from  1900  to  1916  inclusive,  in  the  competition  among 
crossbreds,  the  several  combinations  of  Aberdeen-Angus  and 
Shorthorn  blood  virtually  won  all  championships  and  reserve 
championships.  On  the  Western  range  the  Aberdeen-Angus  has 

1  Macdonald  and  Sinclair,  History  of  Aberdeen- Angus  Cattle. 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS  *  293 

not  secured  so  strong  a  foothold  as  the  Hereford,  but  his  grade 
progeny  is  thick-fleshed,  short  of  leg,  fast-maturing,  a  good 
feeder,  and  kills  the  equal  of  anything  in  the  market.  It  will  be 
fortunate  for  our  beef-cattle  interests  when  more  Aberdeen-Angus 
males  are  used  to  grade  up  common  herds. 

Aberdeen-Angus  families  make  up  a  considerable  list.  Each 
family  is  descended  from  a  cow  that  is  regarded  as  its  founder. 
Branches  occur  in  these  families,  due  to  lines  of  breeding  often 
undertaken  in  other  herds  than  that  from  which  the  family  came. 
An  effort  has  been  made  by  prominent  breeders  to  discourage 
emphasizing  certain  families  at  the  expense  of  others,  but  with 
none  too  much  success.  The  following  families  have  been  re- 
garded with  special  favor,  especially  in  America. 

The  Erica  family  descends  from  Erica  (843)  181,  a  cow  that 
was  bought  in  1861  by  Sir  George  Macpherson  Grant  at  the 
Earl  of  Southesk's  sale.  She  was  by  Cupbearer  (59),  a  grandson 
of  Old  Jock  (i),  and  her  dam  Emily  (332)  was  also  by  Old  Jock 
(i).  Emily  was  out  of  Beauty,  bred  by  Hugh  Watson.  Erica 
(843)  is  described  as  "not  a  very  large  cow,  but  standing  on 
very  short  legs  and  having  a  lovely  feminine  head  and  splendid 
quality.'.'  She  was  the  dam  of  three  sons  :  Cupbearer  of  Ballin- 
dalloch  (658),  Exciseman  (473),  and  Elcho  (595);  and  of  four 
daughters:  Erica  2d  (1284)  by  Chieftain  (318),  Eisa  (977)  by 
Trojan  (402),  Enchantress  (981)  by  Trojan  (402),  and  Elba 
(1205)  by  Kildonan  (405).  From  these  four  cows  this  family  and 
its  branches  trace  the  most  notable  line  developed  at  Ballindal- 
loch,  possibly  the  most  popular  among  Aberdeen-Angus  breeders. 
Three  branches  of  Ericas  descended  from  these  four  daughters 
are  known  respectively  as  Chieftain-Ericas,  Trojan-Ericas,  and 
Kildonan-Ericas.  In  1910  Macdonald  and  Sinclair  wrote:  "No 
family  of  polled  cattle  has  in  recent  years  taken  a  more  distin- 
guished position  in  the  show  yard  than  the  Ballindalloch  Ericas. 
Since  1870  they  have  not  been  absent  from  the  prize  lists  of 
the  Highland  Society's  shows  excepting  on  two  occasions." 
Young  Viscount  181,  perhaps  the  greatest  bull  of  the  breed,  was 
a  grandson  of  Erica  2d  through  her  daughter  Erica  3d  (1249). 

The  Queen  Mother  family  derives  its  name  from  Queen  Mother 
(348)  41,  the  founder  of  this  line.  She  was  calved  in  1843, 


294  CATTLE 

and  as  a  yearling  came  into  possession  of  Mr.  McCombie,  who 
bought  her  from  Mr.  Fullerton  of  Ardovie.  She  was  sired  by 
Panmure  (51),  the  great  early  sire  of  the  breed,  and  through  her 
dam,  Queen  of  Ardovie  (29),  was  a  granddaughter  of  Black  Meg 
(766).  Albert  Pullen1  regards  the  Queen  Mother  as  a  tribe  and 
credits  it  with  nine  families  or  branches,  namely  :  Pride  of  Aber- 
deen, Empress  of  France  ( or  Dandy  of  Drumin),  Daisy  (or  Vine 
of  Tillyfour),  Rosie  of  Tillyfour,  Duchess  of  Westertown,  Matilda 
of  Yonderton,  Charmer,  Beauty  of  Morlich,  and  Victoria  of  Kelly. 
Americans,  however,  do  not  make  this  distinction,  and  Queen 
Mother  and  Pride  of  Aberdeen  may  each  be  regarded  as  families. 
In  McCombie's  hands  at  Tillyfour  the  Queen  Mother  or  Queen 
family  became  famous.  Queen  Mother  had  four  daughters : 
Bloomer  (201),  Windsor  (202),  Lola  Montes  (208),  and  Victoria 
of  Kelly  (345).  A  daughter  of  Lola  Montes  named  Charlotte 
(203)  was  an  exceptional  cow,  for  her  daughter  Pride  of  Aberdeen 
(581)  and  her  son  Trojan  (402)  proved  to  be  two  of  the  epoch- 
making  animals  of  the  breed.  This  was  the  favorite  family  of 
Mr.  McCombie,  and  it  has  always  been  very  popular  in  America. 

The  Pride  or  Pride  of  Aberdeen  family  derives  its  name  from 
Pride  of  Aberdeen  (581),  above  referred  to,  calved  in  1857.  She 
was  sired  by  Hanton  (228),  a  leading  stock  and  show  bull  of 
Mr.  McCombie.  At  the  Paris  Exposition  in  1856  Hanton  and 
Charlotte  won  premier  honors  for  the  breed,  so  that  Pride  of 
Aberdeen  rightly  inherited  great  excellence.  She  had  a  remark- 
able record  in  the  show  ring,  ''without  parallel  in  the  chronicles 
of  the  breed."  She  was  the  mother  of  seven  females  and  four 
bulls,  and  from  her  offspring,  especially  the  cows,  descends  a 
great  line  of  producers.  Her  five  daughters,  Pride  of  Aberdeen 
2d  (1299),  Pride  of  Aberdeen  3d  (1168),  Pride  of  Aberdeen  ^th 
(1171),  Pride  of  Aberdeen  5th  (i  174),  and  Pride  of  Aberdeen  7th 
(1777),  are  the  dams  of  many  celebrated  breeding  and  prize- 
winning  animals.  Prince  Ito  (12869)  50006,  bred  at  Ballindalloch 
and  one  of  the  greatest  sires  ever  imported  to  America,  was  a 
great-grandson  of  Pride  of  Aberdeen  5th  (1174). 

The  Blackbird  family  is  descended  from  imported  Blackbird  of 
Corskie  684,  a  daughter  of  Lady  Ida  (1021).  In  fact,  in  Scotland 

1  Aberdeen-Angus  Cattle.    London,  1908. 


THE  ABERDEEN    ANGUS 


295 


this  is  known  as  the  Lady  Ida  family.  This  latter  cow  is  said  to 
have  lived  nineteen  years  and  dropped  fifteen  calves,  nearly  all  of 
whom  were  prize  winners.  Her  daughter  Blackbird  of  Corskie 
was  the  dam  of  Blackbird  of  Corskie  2d  (3024),  Blackbird  of 
Corskie  3d  (3766),  and  Blackbird  of  Corskie  4th  (3769).  This 
last  cow  was  imported  to  America,  where  she  made  a  remarkable 
breeding  record.  Bred  to  Abbotsford  2702,  one  of  the  more  noted 


FIG.  123.    Blackbird  26th  54457,  by  Black  Monarch  of  Emerson  30331.    Grand- 
champion  Aberdeen- Angus  female  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904. 
Owned  by  W.  J.  Martin,  Churdan,  Iowa.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

sires  in  service  in  America,  she  produced  Black  Abbot  10423, 
Black  Monk  13214,  and  Blackbird  Knight  11547,  all  sires  of 
special  merit.  The  Blackbird  family  in  recent  years  has  had  a 
great  popularity  in  America,  and  many  herds  are.  strongly  impreg- 
nated with  this  blood.  Black  Woodlawn  42088,  one  of  the  most 
noted  American-bred  Aberdeen-Angus  sires,  out  of  Blackbird  1 3th 
24464,  is  a  straight-line-bred  Blackbird.  Gay  Blackbird  14443, 
champion  in  1893  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  and  a 
great  sire,  traced  back  in  each  branch  to  Blackbird  of  Corskie.  In 
spite  of  its  popularity  some  think  this  family  rather  overestimated. 


296  CATTLE 

The  Blackcap  family  is  an  offshoot  from  the  Blackbird, 
tracing  from  Blackcap  1552,  a  daughter  of  Blackcap  of  Corskie 
3d  733,  and  sired  by  the  bull  St.  Clair  693.  Black  Knight 
4751,  perhaps  the  greatest  sire  in  the  history  of  the  breed  in 
America,  was  a  son  of  Blackcap  1552.  The  Blackcaps  are  great 
favorites,  and  their  blood  lines  have  mingled  more  or  less  with 
the  Blackbirds.  Blackcap  Toe  2d  236212,  sold  in  1918  for 
$9200,  was  sired  by  Bruce  Ito  187621,  a  Blackbird,  and  had  for 
dam  the  Blackcap  cow  Birdie  Blackcap  82129,  that  was  the  dam 
of  Black  Poe  150727  and  that  .sold  for  $5000. 

The  Heather  Bloom  or  Heather  Blossom  family  descends  from 
the  cow  Heather  Bloom  (1189).  She  had  two  daughters,  Heather 
Blossom  (1703)  and  Blooming  Heather  (1484),  both  of  which 
were  prize  winners  as  well  as  most  successful  breeders.  Two 
granddaughters  of  the  latter,  Benton  Heather  (7775)  and  Bonnie 
Heather  (7776),  were  imported  by  T.  W.  Harvey  for  his  Turington 
herd  in  Nebraska,  where  this  family  first  attracted  attention  in 
America.  This  is  not  listed  by  Macdonald  and  Sinclair  as  one 
of  the  leading  families  in  Scotland,  but  in  the  United  States  it 
has  contributed  a  very  meritorious  class  of  cattle. 

The  Nosegay  family  originated  at  Ballindalloch,  having  for  its 
founder  the  cow  Nettle  5167,  her  daughter  Nosegay  2251,  by 
King  Charles  424,  giving  the  family  name.  This  is  regarded  as 
an  especially  good  milking  family. 

The  Coquette  family  is  of  Ballindalloch  breeding,  descending  from 
Coquette  (1417)  and  credited  with  an  excellent  class  of  progeny. 
The  bull  Ermine  Bearer  1749,  bred  to  Coquette  loth  2703,  sired 
Abbotsford  2702,  a  sire  that  did  much  for  the  breed  in  America. 

The  Jilt  family  has  its  origin  in  Jilt  (973),  calved  in  1863  at 
Tillyfour.  She  came  to  Ballindalloch  in  1867,  where  she  was  a 
very  successful  producer.  Three  sons,  Juryman  (404)  421,  Judge 
(1150)  473,  and  Justice  (1462)  854,  were  Highland  Society 
Show  prize  winners.  The  two  latter  were  imported  to  America 
by  Judge  J.  S.  Goodwin  for  his  Heatherton  herd,  but  each  had 
a  short  career  in  this  country.  Jilt  had  five  daughters,  from  which 
this  family  derives  its  special  reputation.  These  were  Jewel  (1413), 
Jewess  (1916),  Judy  (2996),  Joanna  (13709),  and  Juno  of  Ballin- 
dalloch (3374).  This  is  an  excellent  family,  and  though  not  largely 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS 


297 


represented  on  either  side  of  the  water,  as  stated  by  Mr.  Pullen, 
"it  has  gained  distinction  chiefly  by  the  production  of  good  stock 
and  prize  winning  bulls,  and  as  this  is  not  too  common  an  attribute, 
it  would  appear  to  be  a  family  worthy  of  preservation." 

The  prices  brought  by  Aberdeen- Angus  cattle  have  not  ranged^ 
as  high  as  those  brought  by  Shorthorn  or  Hereford,  but  have 
made  a  very  good  showing.  Figures  compiled  by  the  Kansas 
Board  of  Agriculture  of  sales  from  1892  to  1901  inclusive, 
including  3269  head, 
give  an  average  price 
realized  per  head  of 
$213.24,  the  bulls 
averaging  $  1 90.09  and 
the  cows  $232.07.  A 
report  based  on  fig- 
ures published  by  the 
American  Aberdeen- 
Angus  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, covering  1 3 1 
public  auction  sales  be- 
tween 1910  and  1916, 
shows  that  7 1 60  cattle 
of  the  breed  averaged 
$182.83.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  note  that  be- 
ginning in  1912  with 
an  average  price  of 
$I38 -9  5,  the  average 

has  steadily  grown,  until  in  1916  it  was  $248.75.  The  records 
for  1917  and  1918  are  still  better.  The  highest  prices  of  in- 
terest are  as  follows:  Prince  Ito  50006,  by  Eltham  (9120),  sold 
by  M.  A.  Judy,  February  4,  1902,  at  Chicago,  to  B.  R.  Pierce 
&  Son  for  $9100.  In  June,  1918,  at  Escher  and  Ryan's  sale 
in  Iowa  the  bull  Blackcap  Poe  sold  for  $9200  to  A.  D.  Wilcox 
of  Kansas.  In  this  sale  126  head  brought  $150,205,  the 
record  for  the  breed  to  this  time,  13  bulls  averaging  $1104  and 
113  females  $1202.  Six  cows  brought  $3000  or  more  each, 
Erica  McHenry  43d  bringing  $4200.  At  the  same  sale  at  which 


FIG.  124.    Rose  of  Highland  County,  a  fine  type  of 

Aberdeen-Angus  cow  in  field   condition.     Owned 

by  the  Ohio  State  University.    From  photograph  by 

E.  K.  Emslie 


298  CATTLE 

Prince  Ito  brought  $9100,  the  cow  Blackcap  Judy  40226,  by 
Black  Monarch  of  Emerson  30331,  was  purchased  by  C.  H.  Gard- 
ner of  Illinois  for  $6300,  for  years  the  top  price  for  a  cow  of  the 
breed.  At  the  sale  of  P.  J.  Donahue  of  Iowa  in  May,  1918, 
the  cow  Blackcap  McHenry  12 8th  183815  sold  for  $5025,  and 
the  bull  Emlyn  235644  brought  $5100.  Again,  on  May  23, 
1919,  Mr.  Donahue  sold  47  head  for  $121,425,  an  average  of 
$2583.  On  this  occasion  Blackcap  Lassie  i6th  brought  $7200 
and  Eiba  of  Glynn  Mawr  4th,  $6800.  On  June  3  and  4,  1919, 
Escher  and  Ryan  sold  171  head  for  an  average  price  of  $2200. 
The  highest  price  for  a  bull  was  $36,000  for  Enlate  209747,  sold 
to  W.  H.  Cooper.  The  cow  Blackcap  McHenry  I5ist  229186 
sold  to  C.  A.  Rosenfeld  for  $10,000.  In  the  summer  of  1919 
C.  D.  and  E.  F.  Caldwell,  Burlington  Junction,  Missouri,  sold  the 
bull  Blackcap  Bertram  183987  to  L.  B.  McCanum,  Aledo,  Illinois, 
for  $45,000,  this  representing  the  highest  price  paid  to  date  for 
an  animal  of  this  breed.  In  May,  1918,  at  a  sale  of  Tudor  and 
Son  of  Iowa,  54  head  brought  an  average  price  of  $1207  and 
28  females  ranged  in  price  from  $1000  up.  At  the  annual  sales  in 
Scotland,  February  4  and  5,  1919,  all  records  for  the  breed  were 
broken,  and  280  bulls  averaged  $560  each,  3  passing  the  $10,000 
mark.  The  bull  calf  Euripus  of  Ballindalloch  and  the  yearling 
Emblem  of  Harviestoun  each  brought  $14,700,  and  the  calf 
Erodemas  $i  1,025.  At  sales  held  in  fifteen  states  and  Canada,  in 
1918,  the  average  price  for  4102  head  was  $385.58.  The  average 
of  82  sales  ranged  from  $i  10.08  to  $1519.23. 

The  prices  paid  for  Aberdeen-Angus  steers  represent  the  very 
top  of  the  market  so  far  as  carload  lots  are  concerned.  The  prices 
paid  for  single  steers  —  excepting  the  champions  at  the  1916, 
1917,.  and  1918  International  Expositions  —  are  led  over  all 
breeds,  grades,  and  crosses  by  the  sale  of  the  grand  champion 
Advance  at  the  1900  International,  which  brought  $1.50  per  pound 
live  weight.  He  weighed  1430  pounds,  bringing  $2145.  At  the 
1916  International  the  grand-champion  carload  of  Aberdeen- 
Angus  shown  by  E.  P.  Hall  of  Illinois  brought  $28  per  hundred  at 
auction,  while  in  1918  the  grand-champion  load  of  the  same  breed 
by  the  same  exhibitor  brought  $42.50  per  hundred.  The  average 
price  paid  per  hundred  on  378  carloads  of  fat  Aberdeen- Angus 


THE  ABERDEEN-ANGUS  299 

cattle  in  the  fifteen  years  between  1900  and  1916  was  $9.34  as 
compared  with  $8.38  paid  on  357  loads  of  Herefords  and  $8.73 
on  198  loads  of  Shorthorns. 

The  distribution  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  is  very  widespread. 
They  are  generally  found  in  northern  Scotland,  in  various  parts~ 
of  England,  Ireland,  France,  Denmark,  Germany,  South  Africa, 
South  America,  New  Zealand,  Sandwich  Islands,  Canada,  and  the 
United  States.  In  1917  the  Polled  Cattle  Society  of  Scotland 
issued  395  certificates  of  export  to  foreign  countries  as  follows : 
South  Africa  195,  Falkland  Islands  140,  Brazil  22,  other  parts 
of  South  America  36,  United  States  2.  In  the  United  States  the 
breed  is  most  popular  in  Iowa,  Missouri,  Illinois,  and  Indiana, 
but  herds  are  widely  distributed  throughout  the  country.  Recently 
the  breed  has  been  receiving  substantial  recognition  in  the  South, 
especially  in  Tennessee,  Georgia,  and  Alabama.  On  the  range 
the  Aberdeen-Angus  has  never  secured  such  footing  as  have  the 
Hereford  and  Shorthorn,  although  it  has  many  stout  champions 
in  the  Far  West. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  are  repre- 
sented by  the  Polled  Cattle  Society  of  Scotland,  organized  in  1879, 
and  the  American  Aberdeen-Angus  Breeders'  Association,  organ- 
ized in  1883.  The  first  "Polled  Cattle  Herdbook  "  was  issued 
in  Scotland  in  1862,  and  Galloways  were  registered  in  the  first 
four  volumes  of  the  Scotch  society.  The  first  volume  of  the 
American  association  was  published  in  1886.  Up  to  January  I, 
1919,  the  Scotch  society  had  published  forty-three  volumes  and 
the  American  twenty-seven.  About  238,500  Aberdeen- Angus 
cattle  had  been  registered  in  the  American  herdbooks  up  to  this 
time,  and  the  association  has  about  three  thousand  members. 
There  are  also  associations  for  promoting  the  breed  in  England, 
Canada,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa,  and  Argentina.  In  the 
United  States  nineteen  state  associations  for  promoting  the  breed 
have  been  established  up  to  November,  1919,  and  thirteen  county 
associations  have  also  been  organized,  mostly  in  Indiana,  Illinois, 
and  Iowa.  A  semimonthly  periodical,  the  Aberdeen- Angus  Journal, 
was  established  in  August,  1919,  with  headquarters  at  Webster 
Citv,  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  GALLOWAY 

The  native  home  of  Galloway  cattle  is  in  the  province  of  Gal- 
loway in  southwestern  Scotland.  This  province  includes  two  coun- 
ties— Wigtown  and  Kirkcudbright — as  well  as  parts  of  the  counties 
of  Ayr  and  Dumfries.  Galloway  borders  the  sea  on  the  west  and 
south  and  is  generally  rough  and  mountainous  excepting  in  places 
near  the  sea.  Much  of  the  land  is  especially  suited  to  grazing, 
but  wheat,  oats,  barley,  potatoes,  and  turnips  do  well  on  cultivated 
lands  of  the  better  class.  The  climate  is  damp  and  cloudy  much  of 
the  time,  cold  and  inclement  in  winter,  and  often  cool  in  summer. 

The  origin  of  the  Galloway,  like  that  of  the  Aberdeen- Angus, 
is  quite  obscure.  According  to  Wilson,1  early  in  the  eighteenth 
century  there  arose  in  England  a  demand  for  polled  cattle  to 
which  the  people  of  Galloway  were  the  first  to  respond.  Youatt 
states  that  about  1750  the  greater  part  of  the  cattle  of  Galloway 
were  horned,  but  some  of  them  were  polled,  a  feature  of  this 
breed.  In  1789  George  Culley  wrote  of  "polled  or  humbled" 
cattle  and  stated  that  "  for  the  original  of  these  we  must  look 
in  Galloway."  Culley  also  notes  that  graziers  and  drovers  took 
them  "  in  prodigious  numbers  "  to  the  fairs  in  Norfolk  and  Suf- 
folk, England.  As  far  back  as  1723  Alexander  Murray  of  Broch- 
ton  is  credited  with  having  an  enormous  number  of  black  cattle 
on  his  estate,  feeding  one  thousand  each  year  and  driving  to  the 
English  markets.  Possibly  the  breed  is  descended  from  polled  wild 
cattle.  Various  British  authorities  indicate  that  the  Galloway  is  es- 
sentially a  Kyloe  or  West  Highland  breed  devoid  of  horns  and 
may  be  a  sport  from  this.  Some  authorities  insist  that  Galloways 
have  always  been  a  true  polled  breed. 

The  improvement  of  the  Galloway  dates  back  into  the  eighteenth 
century.  Culley  states  that  the  breeders  of  Galloway  complain 
that  the  old  breed  has  become  much  worn  out.  He  then  says  that 

1  Evolution  of  British  Cattle,  1909. 
300 


THE  GALLOWAY 


301 


there  is  little  doubt  of  its  not  only  "  being  recovered,  but  still  more 
improved,  when  such  a  leading  nobleman  as  Lord  Selkirk  is 
among  the  breeders.  Mr.  Murray  of  Brochton  and  Mr.  Herring 
of  Corroughtree  have  long  been  very  eminent  in  the  breeding  of 
Galloway  cattle.  Mr.  Craik,  Mr.  Dalyell,  and  several  others  haV5~~ 
tried  a  cross  from  Mr.  Bakewell's  bulls."  This,  then,  was  a  Long- 
horn  cross  on  the  Galloway,  but  Culley  says  that  with  what  success 


FIG.  125.   Worthy  3d  (imp.)  21228.   A  great  prize-winning  Galloway  bull  in  Scotch 

shows,  grand-champion  male  of  the  breed  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition 

in  1904,  and  champion  at  numerous  other  leading  American  shows.    Imported  by 

C.  E.  Clark,  St.  Cloud,  Minnesota,    From  photograph  by  the  author 

he  has  not  been  able  to  learn,  although  breeders  were  generally 
against  crossing  this  on  Longhorns  or  any  other  breed.  The 
Galloway  was  also  crossed  on  the  cattle  of  Westmoreland  and 
Cumberland  in  the  most  mountainous  section  of  England  and 
contiguous  to  the  province  of  Galloway.  Among  other  important 
early  improvers  were  the  Gordons  of  Greenlaw,  Maxwells  of 
Munches  and  Mouneith,  McDowals  of  Logan,  Stewarts  of  Phygell, 
and  the  Earl  of  Galloway.  The  method  of  improvement  by  these 
early  breeders  has  been  one  of  selection,  it  is  claimed,  and  not 
of  inbreeding.  About  1840  dairying  became  popular  in  Galloway, 


302  CATTLE 

notably  in  Ayr  and  Dumfries,  and  as  the  polled  cattle  were  not 
essentially  good  dairy  producers  the  people  neglected  them  and 
turned  to  dairy  stock,  especially  Ayrshires.  In  general  Galloways 
suffered  severely  from  neglect,  and  the  number  sensibly  diminished 
all  over  the  district.  A  few  men,  however,  clung  to  the  breed 
in  its  purity  and  worked  for  its  improvement,  notably  the  Duke 
of  Buccleuch,  James  Graham,  and  the  Messrs.  Shennan.  In  1851 
a  step  forward  was  taken  by  establishing  an  annual  Galloway  bull 
sale  at  Lockerbie,  and  soon  after  another  was  established  at  Castle 
Douglas.  In  1862  the  Herdbook  Society  was  organized,  but  it  is 
said  that  active  interest  in  the  Galloway  was  not  renewed  until 
about  1877. 

The  introduction  of  the  Galloway  to  America  occurred  long  ago, 
though  just  when  is  uncertain.  Polled  cattle  came  to  this  country 
in  some  of  the  early  importations.  L.  F.  Allen  states  that  in 
1837  he  saw  a  very  fine  black  polled  Galloway  cow  at  the  General 
Hospital  in  Philadelphia,  but  he  did  not  ascertain  how  she  came 
there.  In  1853  Graham  Brothers  of  Vaughan,  Ontario,  made  the 
first  importation  to  Canada,  though  L.  F.  Allen  thinks  they  were 
brought  to  the  vicinity  of  Toronto  about  1850.  In  1857  Allen 
saw  upwards  of  forty  of  the  breed  at  a  show  at  Brantford,  and 
later  saw  them  elsewhere  in  Canada.  In  1861  Thomas  McCrae 
of  Guelph,  Ontario,  made  his  first  importation  and  did  much  to 
promote  the  breed.  The  first  Galloways  to  reach  the  United 
States  are  said  to  have  been  brought  to  Michigan  in  1870.  In 
1880  the  editor  of  the  National  Live  Stock  Journal,  in  reply  to 
an  inquiry,  stated  that  he  could  give  no  addresses  of  polled-cattle 
breeders  in  the  United  States  having  cattle  for  sale,  saying  that 
they  were  very  rare.  Along  in  the  eighties  Galloways  were  owned 
by  S.  P.  Clarke  of  Dover  and  I.  H.  Norris  of  Lamoille,  Illinois. 
In  1885  M.  H.  Platt  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  exhibited  Gallo- 
ways at  the  Cotton  States  Exposition  at  New  Orleans. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Galloway.  This  breed  in  general 
appearance  is  short  of  leg  and  close  to  the  ground,  is  polled,  black 
of  color,  has  very  thick  long  hair  (especially  in  winter),  and  is 
somewhat  longer  of  body  and  flatter  of  rib  than  the  Aberdeen- 
Angus.  Without  going  into  general  details  certain  features  of 
the  breed  demand  special  consideration.  The  head  in  a  good 


THE  GALLOWAY 


303 


type  should  be  polled  and  absolutely  free  from  scurs,  or  abortive 
horns,  the  poll  being  less  peaked  than  in  the  Aberdeen-Angus. 
There  should  be  strong  breadth  between  the  eyes,  with  shortness 
from  eyes  to  end  of  muzzle,  which  should  be  large  with  ample 
nostrils.  Wallace,  the  Scotch  author,  states  that  the  ear  is  set 
rather  farther  back  than  in  most  breeds  and  should  point  upward 


FIG.  126.    Picador  2d  42178,  junior-champion  Galloway  bull  at  the  1917  Inter- 
national Live- Stock  Exposition.    Bred  and  exhibited  by  R.  W.  Brown,  Carrollton, 
Missouri.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Brown 

and  forward.  A  fine,  broad,  pointed  ear  covered  with  long  hair  is 
characteristic.  The  body  of  the  Galloway  is  somewhat  cylindrical 
and  has  considerable  length.  The  rump  is  long,  and  the  hind 
quarter  is  usually  well  developed,  especially  in  the  lower  thigh. 
In  quality  the  breed  is  superior,  for  the  bone  is  reasonably  fine, 
the  skin  mellow,  and  the  hair  very  fine,  silky,  curly,  and  long. 
The  color  is  generally  black,  though  a  brownish  or  reddish  tint 
frequently  occurs  in  the  black  and  is  regarded  by  some  as  an 
indication  of  purity.  White  or  other  color  is  a  disqualification. 


304  CATTLE 

Formerly  the  breed  varied  in  color,  when  there  were  brindles, 
dun-colored,  or  drab,  and  some  with  white  spots.  About  1835 
Youatt  wrote  that  dark  colors  were  uniformly  preferred  from  the 
belief  that  they  indicate  hardiness  of  constitution. 

The  size  of  the  Galloway  hardly  equals  that  of  the  Shorthorn, 
Hereford,  or  Aberdeen- Angus,  and  it  may  be  rated  as  a  bit  smaller 
than  these  at  -the  same  age.  Mr.  A.  M.  Thompson  states  that 
as  yearlings  past  they  can  be  made  to  weigh  from  1000  to  1200 
pounds  ;  at  two,  from  1200  to  1400  ;  at  three,  from  1400  to  1600. 
Typical  bulls  will  weigh  about  1800  to  1900  pounds  and  cows 
1300  to  1400  pounds  when  not  in  high  flesh.  In  show  condition 
much  better  weights  may  be  secured.  Lady  May  11562,  a  famous 
show  cow,  weighed  1/40  pounds  at  the  1901  International  Live- 
Stock  Exposition. 

The  Galloway  as  a  meat  producer,  as  has  been  indicated,  has 
always  ranked  high.  For  many  years  large  droves  of  Galloways, 
said  to  exceed  twenty  thousand  a  year,  were  driven  from  Scotland 
into  England  and  fattened  and  sold  for  beef.  Galloway  cattle 
have  never  been  raised  in  large  numbers  excepting  in  the  Gallo- 
way district  and  so  have  not  usually  been  important  factors  in 
the  show  ring,  at  least  outside  of  Scotland.  At  the  1916  Inter- 
national Live- Stock  Exposition  there  were  fifty-four  head  entered 
in  the  breeding  classes  and  but  nine  steers.  There  never  has  been 
a  large  and  high-class  show  of  steers  of  this  breed  at  the  Inter- 
national. Yet  Galloways  feed  uniformly  and  smooth,  patches  and 
rolls  being  uncommon.  The  Galloway  carcass  ranks  very  high  in 
quality  and  is  valued  by  discriminating  buyers,  but  it  has  not  played 
an  important  part  in  the  carcass  contests  at  the  International  Live- 
Stock  Expositions.  In  1909,  in  the  two-year  carcass  class,  Gallo- 
ways won  second  and  fourth  places,  Domsie  dressing  65  per  cent 
and  Scottish  Lad,  shown  by  Ohio  State  University,  dressing  65.8 
per  cent.  In  1910  the  second-prize  two-year-old  steer  Highland 
Laddie  (which  weighed  1672  pounds  alive)  dressed  69.55  per  cent, 
while  the  fourth-prize  yearling  was  a  Galloway-Shorthorn  cross, 
dressing  66.66  per  cent.  In  1911  the  second-prize  yearling  car- 
cass was  the  Galloway  Bobby  Burns,  dressing  67.2  per  cent,  while 
in  1913  the  third-prize  two-year-old  was  a  Galloway,  dressing  66.57 
per  cent.  All  of  the  prize-winning  Galloway  carcasses  were  shown 


THE  GALLOWAY 


305 


by  Nebraska  University  excepting  the  one  credited  to  Ohio.  "The 
excellent  value  of  the  beef  of  the  Galloway,"  writes  David  McCrae,1 
" arises  from  two  causes:  first,  its  marbled  quality,  the  fat  being 
laid  amongst  the  lean,  giving  it  a  well  mixed,  fine  grain,  highly 
flavored  ;  second,  the  tendency  to  lay  their  flesh  and  fat  equally  on 
the  best  parts." 

The  crossbred  Galloway  has  a  distinct  place  in  the  meat  market 
of  England,  for  the  mating  of  white  Shorthorn  bulls  on  Galloway 


FIG.  127.   Masterful  43643,  champion  Galloway  steer  at  the  1918  International  Live- 
stock Exposition.    Exhibited  by  Kansas  Agricultural  College.    From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  American  Galloway  Cattle  Breeders'  Association 

cows  has  produced  a  famous  class  of  blue-gray  feeders  which  kill 
out  surpassingly  well,  often  reaching  65  per  cent.  The  Iowa  Agri- 
cultural College  has  experimented  some  with  this  breeding  and 
has  shown  a  few  choice  blue  grays  at  the  International  Live  Stock 
Exposition  at  Chicago.  From  time  to  time  "prime  Scots"  are 
quoted  in  the  English  markets,  and  these  are  often  blue  grays.  In 
1892  the  champion  steer  at  the  Smithfield  show,  England,  was  a 
cross  between  a  Galloway  cow  and  Shorthorn  bull,  which  at  1250 
days  weighed  2276  pounds,  an  average  daily  gain  of  1.82  pounds 
from  birth.  Mr.  O.  H.  Swigart,  in  writing  on  the  Galloway,  reports 

1  American  Galloway  Herdbook,  Vol.  VIII. 


306  CATTLE 

on  two  loads  of  range  calves  exhibited  by  a  Colorado  man,  the 
offspring  of  common-grade  cows,  many  of  them  Holsteins  and 
Jerseys,  but  all  sired  by  registered  Galloway  bulls.  These  calves 
won  first  and  third  prizes  in  their  class,  and  one  load  won  cham- 
pionship in  class  over  other  breeds  by  ages  and  grand  champion- 
ship over  all  breeds  and  all  ages  as  feeders.  They  were  purchased 
by  an  Indiana  feeder  and  returned  to  market  July  9,  1902.  They 
had  an  average  weight  of  1177  pounds  and  brought  $8.45  per 


FIG.  128.   Evaline  2d  of  Avondale  20124,  grand-champion  Galloway  female  at  the 

Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904,  and  at  numerous  other  prominent  shows. 

Bred  by  O.  H.  Swigart,  Champaign,  Illinois.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

hundred — within  five  cents  of  the  highest  price  ever  paid  up  to 
this  time  on  this  market  for  range-bred  cattle  of  any  breed,  show- 
yard  animals  alone  excepted. 

The  Galloway  cow  in  milk  production  is  little  known  so  far  as 
records  are  concerned.  The  claim  is  generally  made  that  the 
cows  give  a  good  yield  of  rich  milk,  yet  one  finds  very  little  infor- 
mation regarding  the  Galloway  as  a  milker  when  consulting  the 
literature  of  the  breed  or  comparative  tests  of  cows  of  different 
breeds.  The  fact  is,  Galloway  advocates  emphasize  .the  value  of 
the  breed  in  beef  production  and  scarcely  comment  on  the  milk- 
producing  factor.  The  cow  Rosy  4th  is  reported  to  have  pro- 
duced 42^  pounds  of  milk  in  a  day,  testing  7.25  per  cent  fat. 


THE  GALLOWAY  307 

A  former  secretary  of  the  American  Galloway  Cattle  Breeders' 
Association,  Charles  Gray,  states1  that  "the  Galloways  as  a  breed 
cannot  lay  claim  to  any  superiority  as  milkers.  Although  many 
herds  have  been  kept  for  centuries  in  the  south  of  Scotland  for 
dairy  purposes,  yet  as  a  whole  the  breed  has  been  improved  chiefly 
along  the  lines  of  beef  production." 

The  hardiness  of  the  Galloway  is  one  of  its  inherited  character- 
istics, and  it  seems  eminently  suited  to  a  place  on  the  Western 
range,  where  food  may  be  scarce  and  where  the  rigors  of  winter 
are  great.  The  thick,  long  coat  of  hair  gives  it  better  protection 
from  cold  than  is  provided  any  other  recognized  beef  breed  in 
America.  It  is  for  this  reason  and  for  its  rustling  ability  that  the 
Galloway  is  attaining  more  and  more  popularity  on  the  Western 
and  Northwestern  range. 

The  hide  of  the  Galloway,  with  its  thick  and  long  fall  or  winter 
coat,  has  a  distinct  value  in  itself.  Properly  tanned,  it  furnishes 
a  lap  robe,  overcoat,  or  floor  rug,  surpassing  in  beauty  the  pelt 
of  the  buffalo,  now  so  highly  prized.  Good  Galloway  floor  rugs  or 
lap  robes  easily  sell  for  twenty-five  dollars,  and  overcoats  of  this 
fur  have  changed  hands  at  high  prices.  In  the  northwestern 
United  States  and  Canada  coats  of  this  fur  are  very  common  in 
winter.  Reverend  Dr.  John  Gillespie,  during  a  long  life  an 
authority  on  the  Galloway  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Gallo- 
way Cattle  Society  of  Great  Britain,  makes  this  comment  on  the 
Galloway  skin  and  hair 2 : 

The  skin  and  hair  were  outstanding  qualities  of  the  Galloway  breed.  The 
skin  should  be  moderately  thick,  but  always  mellow  and  soft.  The  hair 
should  of  course  be  black,  but  not  of  a  jet  or  inky  black.  The  breeders 
liked  to  see  a  nice  brown  tinge,  and  all  the  best  bred  specimens  would  be 
found  to  have  that  characteristic.  The  objection  to  an  inky  black  was  that 
the  quality  of  the  hair  was  not  usually  so  good  as  when  the  brown  tinge 
was  present.  Galloways  had  always  the  two  coats  of  hair  fully  developed. 
The  upper  coat  should  be  long  and  soft,  but  not  too  curly.  Animals  with  a 
very  curly  coat  were  generally  indifferent  thrivers.  The  under  coat  should 
always  be  soft,  close,  and  silky.  This  was  a  very  important  point  in  the 
breed,  because  on  it  depended  the  power  of  the  animal  to  resist  cold  and 
stand  exposure. 

1  The  Breeds  of  Live  Stock  (1916),  p.  245. 

2  North  British  Agriculturist^  November  25,  1891. 


308 


CATTLE 


The  prepotency  of  the  Galloway  is  of  the  first  rank.  Within 
the  breed  there  exists  much  uniformity  of  transmission  of  character. 
In  crossing  or  grading,  where  Galloway  sires  are  used,  the  off- 
spring almost  always  inherits  the  color  and  features  of  the  sire. 
James  Biggar,  one  of  the  most  noted  recent  Scotch  breeders, 
states  in  regard  to  the  power  of  transmission  that  "  when  a 


r 


FIG.  129.    Fatima  38103,  third-prize  Galloway  cow  at  the  1917  International  Live- 

Stock  Exposition.    Owned  by  Isaac  Lincoln,  Aberdeen,   South  Dakota.    From 

photograph,  by  courtesy  of  American  Galloway  Cattle  Breeders'  Association 

Galloway  bull  is  crossed  with  any  horned  breed  nearly  90  per 
cent  of  the  produce  will  be  black  and  95  to  100  per  cent  with- 
out horns."  Mr.  A.  M.  Thompson  of  Missouri  reports  using  a 
Galloway  bull  on  a  herd  of  Shorthorn  cows  with  very  great  suc- 
cess, 98  per  cent  of  the  calves  being  black  and  all  natural  polls. 
Galloways  also  cross  very  successfully  with  Herefords,  producing 
beef  of  the  finest  quality.  However,  Robert  Wallace  says  "the 
progeny  of  Galloway  bulls  on  other  breeds  are  on  the  average 
distinctly  inferior." 


THE  GALLOWAY 


309 


Galloway  bulls  of  distinction  that  have  materially  helped  to 
give  fame  to  the  breed  in  more  recent  times  are  Camp  Follower 
(5042),  Pathfinder  3d  (5991),  Scottish  Standard  (6488)  15221, 
Kekionga  (2894)  2894,  Druid  of  Castlemilk  (6159)  17054,  King 
Hensol  9967,  Camp  Follower  of  Stepford  (7476),  Worthy  3d 
(7762)  21228,  Camp  Follower  3d  of  Stepford  (8407),  Keystone 
(9689),  and  Macbeth  (10321). 

The  prices  derived  for  Galloways  do  not  average  high,  yet  in 
view  of  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  breed  they  make  a  fair 
showing.  A  summary  of  740  animals  sold  at  auction  from  1892 


FIG.  130.    A  pair  of  Galloway  cows  in  the  ring  at  the  Royal  Show,  Manchester, 

England,  1897.  No.  1429  is  Dora  of  Durhamhill  (13550)  and  1430  is  Maggie  Lauder 

of  Durhamhill  (13994).    The  judges  disagreed  on  these  two  for  first  place.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 

to  1901  inclusive,  published  by  the  Kansas  Board  of  Agriculture, 
shows  an  average  of  $126.75  per  head  for  both  sexes,  or  $141.43 
for  233  bulls  and  $110.51  for  318  cows. 

The  distribution  of  the  Galloway  is  mainly  in  Scotland  and 
America.  The  breed  is  found  in  small  herds,  as  a  rule,  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  though  some  of  the  best-known  herds  are  in  Indiana 
and  Illinois.  Galloways  are  found  on  the  ranges  and  farms  all 
over  the  Far  West  and  especially  in  the  Canadian  Northwest.  Im- 
portant herds  are  also  found  in  Missouri,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Galloways  were  first  started 
in  1862  in  Scotland,  although  Aberdeen-Angus  were  registered 
with  the  Galloway  in  the  first  four  volumes  of  the  herdbook. 


310  CATTLE 

Then  came  a  breed  separation,  and  later,  in  1877,  followed  the 
organization  of  the  Galloway  Cattle  Society,  with  the  first  Galloway 
herdbook  appearing  in  1878.  Up  to  1919  the  Galloway  Cattle 
Society  of  Scotland  has  published  thirty-nine  herdbooks.  The 
American  Galloway  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  was  formed  at 
Chicago  on  November  23,  1882,  although  ten  years  previous  to 
this  the  Ontario  Galloway  Stock  Register  of  Pure-Bred  Galloways 
had  been  established  by  the  Agricultural  and  Arts  Association  of 
Ontario.  The  first  American  herdbook,  known  as  the  "  North 
American  Galloway  Herdbook,"  was  published  in  1883,  since 
which  date,  up  to  1918,  there  have  been  published  eighteen 
volumes,  showing  35,000  registrations. 

Criticisms  of  the  Galloway  have  long  been  made  by  American 
stockmen,  more  especially  for  lack  of  spring  and  fullness  of  rib, 
slackness  of  back,  prominence  of  tail  head,  and  slow  response  to 
generous  feeding.  Some  of  these  criticisms  are  justified,  but  the 
breed  is  nevertheless,  improved  over  its  form  of  twenty-five  years 
ago  and  is  less  subject  to  unfavorable  comment. 

The  approved  modern  type  of  Galloway  represents  an  animal 
that  is  free  from  some  of  the  deficiencies  referred  to.  Through 
the  efforts  of  the  more  prominent  breeders  of  Scotland  and 
America  the  recent  years  have  seen  some  improvement  in  the 
breed.  A  wider-backed,  blockier,  better-fleshed,  easier-feeding  sort 
has  resulted  from  a  more  careful  selection  and  a  more  discrimi- 
nating use  of  bulls  on  superior  cows.  Even  yet,  however,  the 
Galloway  does  not  as  a  rule  mature  as  early  or  fatten  as  rapidly 
as  the  Shorthorn,  Hereford,  or  Aberdeen-Angus,  although  Gal- 
loway cattle  produce  a  very  high-class  meat,  fine  in  grain  and 
flavor,  with  the  fat  internal  rather  than  external,  and  command 
a  superior  price  on  the  market. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE  WEST  HIGHLAND 

The  native  home  of  West  Highland  cattle  is  in  the  elevated 
uplands  of  western  Scotland.  This  particularly  applies  to  that 
section  known  as  the  Highlands  in  Argyll,  Inverness,  and  Perth 
counties,  and  the  Hebrides  Islands  off  the  west  coast. 

The  origin  of  the  West  Highland  breed,  which  has  also  been 
called  the  "  Kyloe  "  by  some,  is  generally  conceded  to  be  derived 
from  the  aboriginal  cattle  of  Britain,  of  which  the  present  wild 
white  cattle  are  descendants.  This  breed  has  been  known  for 
centuries,  but  has-been  kept  on  a  comparatively  small  scale.  Joe 
Cameron  gives  an  interesting  contribution l  relative  to  the  reputa- 
tion of  this  as  a  very  old  breed.  He  states  : 

Colin  Campbell  of  Jura  has  a  record  of  a  sale  of  Highland  cattle  held  by  an 
ancestor,  Archibald  Campbell,  in  1 764.  When  the  sale  was  held  no  one  knew 
how  long  the  breed  had  been  in  the  possession  of  the  family ;  the  tradition 
was  that  the  foundation  animal  had  been  taken  from  the  mainland.  The  late 
Alexander  MacDonald  of  Babranald,  in  a  letter  to  the  writer  many  years  ago, 
said  that  his  ten  predecessors  on  the  Babranald  estate  kept  the  native  cattle, 
and  the  tradition  was  handed  down  that  his  forefathers,  who  had  occupied 
Babranald  or  its  neighborhood  since  the  fourteenth  century,  had  always  bred 
Highland  cattle. 

During  the  first  half  of  the  last  century  two  of  the  herds  that 
improved  the  breed  were  those  of  Mr.  Malcolm  of  Poltalloch  in 
Argyll  and  the  Marquis  of  Breadalbane  of  Perth. 

The  introduction  of  the  West  Highland  cattle  to  America  is  of 
only  passing  moment.  In  1879  Lewis  F.  Allen,  one  of  the  best- 
informed  cattle  authorities  in  America  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
stated  that  he  knew  of  none  in  the  United  States,  but  was  of 
the  impression  that  a  few  were  imported  into  Upper  Canada 
some  years  before.  About  1883  some  West  Highlanders  were 
imported,  among  which  was  the  cow  Maid  of  Castle  Grant,  that 

1  Breeders''  Gazette,  September  24,  1913. 
31  T 


312 


CATTLE 


was  shown  at  a  number  of  fairs  in  1888  and  1889  by  Judge 
J.  S.  Goodwin  of  Kansas.  In  1891  several  West  Highland  cattle 
were  exhibited  at  the  American  Fat  Stock  Show  at  Chicago.  In 
1902  Mr.  W.  M.  Van  Norden  of  Westchester  County,  New  York, 
imported  a  small  herd-  and  made  an  exhibit  at  the  Louisiana 


FIG.  131.    Head  of  the  Highland  bull  Sir  Andrew  (1742),  champion  of  the  breed 
at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  1904.    Owned  by  W.  M.  Van  Norden, 

Rye,  New  York 

Purchase  Exposition  in  1904.     In  1907  Frank  R.  Sanders,  then 
of  Laconia,  New  Hampshire,  made  a  small  importation. 

Characteristics  of  West  Highland  cattle.  This  breed  is  very 
picturesque  and  distinct  in  character.  The  color  is  variable,  being 
yellow,  red,  black,  brindle,  and  a  mixture  of  red  and  black,  the 
red  predominating.  Cameron  states  that  a  fold  of  twenty  cows 
might  easily  be  composed  of  yellows  and  reds  (two  or  three 
shades  of  each),  but  that  there  ought  to  be  at  least  a  couple  of 
red  brindles,  a  black,  a  silver  dun,  and  a  white,  if  a  good  one 


THE  WEST  HIGHLAND  313 

can  be  found.  Unfashionable  colors  are  brown  (especially  when 
rusty)  and  dark  red,  with  black  hair  about  the  muzzle  and  in  the 
tail.  Broken  color's  are  also  in  disfavor.  The  hair  on  the  surface 
appears  long  and  rough,  while  beneath,  next  to  the  skin,  is  a  soft, 
mossy  coat,  the  two  combining  to  give  admirable  protection  in 
winter  against  very  severe  weather.  The  head  is  very  bold,  dig- 
nified in  carriage,  and  in  the  bulls  is  surmounted  with  long, 
graceful  horns  which  have  a  forward  and  slightly  upward  curve 
in  mature  form,  with  the  points  wide  apart.  The  horns  are  white 
with  animals  of  light  colors,  or  white  with  dark  tips  with  dark 
colors.  The  color  of  the  muzzle  varies  from  buff  or  flesh  shade 
to  dark,  in  harmony  with  depth  of  color  of  hair.  The  neck  is 
short  and  thick,  with  a  mane  on  top  and  heavy  dewlap  below. 
"  In  form,"  says  John  Robertson  of  Blair  Athol,  "  it  possesses 
all  the  characteristics  so  much  and  so  justly  prized  in  the  Short- 
horn—  the  straight  back,  the  short  legs,  the  broad  chest,  the 
breadth  of  loin  and  depth  of  rib,  and,  in  short,  the  *  squareness ' 
and  solidity  of  form  which  always  imply  weight,  whether  in  man 
or  beast ;  while  the  noble  branching  horns,  the  fine,  full,  and 
fearless  eye,  the  short,  broad,  well-bred  muzzle,  the  shaggy  coat 
of  richest  black  or  red  or  dun  or  brindle  color,  impart  a  pictur- 
esqueness  which  is  still  further  enhanced  by  that  grace  and  delib- 
eration of  movement  so  distinctive  of  all  animals  reared  in  perfect 
freedom."  The  temperament  is  wild  and  bold,  due  to  a  condition 
of  natural  lack  of  restraint  unknown  among  other  breeds. 

The  size  of  the  West  Highland  cattle  is  comparatively  small, 
cows  perhaps  averaging  900  pounds  and  males  1200,  although 
one  sees  some  larger  on  the  hills  and  at  the  shows  in  Scotland. 
At  the  1911  Edinburgh  Fat-Stock  Show  the  steer  Errol 
Candidate  loth  was  a  handsome  beast  weighing  1702  pounds  at 
two  years  and  ten  months  of  age. 

The  West  Highland  breed  as  a  beef  producer  is  superlative  so 
far  as  quality  is  concerned.  The  meat  is  fine  of  grain,  the  fat  is 
well  distributed  among  the  lean,  the  flavor  is  unsurpassed,  and 
the  carcasses  dress  out  well.  In  the  British  market,  beef  of  this 
breed  ranks  at  the  top.  Yet  these  cattle  feed  very  slowly  and 
mature  late  and  seem  best  adapted  to  feeding  under  Scotch 
mountain  environment. 


3 14  CATTLE 

The  milking  qualities  of  the  West  Highland  are  not  important, 
for  the  cows  are  milked  usually  by  the  calves  only.  The  milk, 
however,  is  rich  in  quality. 

Crossbred  or  grade  Highland  cattle  are  best  suited  to  condi- 
tions where  food  is  scarce  and  winters  rough.  Highland  bulls  on 
native  Western-range  cows  would  furnish  hardy  stock,  but  it  is  not 
likely  that  it  would  meet  with  a  favorable  reception  from  buyers, 
compared  with  -the  present  very  acceptable  Hereford,  Angus,  or 


FIG.  132.   Ceathernach  Buidhe  (719),  first-prize  West  Highland  bull  at  show  of  the 

Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland,  1891  and  1892.  From  photograph 

by  Charles  Reid,  by  courtesy  of  Breeders'  Gazette 

Galloway  grades.  The  claim  is  made  by  excellent  Scotch  authori- 
ties that  West  Highland  cows  cross  well  with  bulls  of  most  of 
the  British  beef  breeds.  Where  food  is  abundant  and  the  climate 
not  too  severe  such  a  cross  may  be  advisable.  On  the  more  ele- 
vated Scotch  hills,  however,  where  winter  exposure  is  great,  the 
crossbred  progeny  will  not  do  so  well  as  the  pure-bred.  Such 
crossbreds  could  not  be  expected  to  have  the  hardiness  of  the  pure 
stock.  Referring  to  crossbreeding  Mr.  Cameron  states 1 : 

A  good  many  years  ago  the  Earl  of  Camperdown  experimented  considerably 
.with  various  crosses  on  his  property  near  Dundee,  Scotland.    Putting  a  Short- 
horn bull  to  well-bred  Highland  cows,  he  had  splendid  calves,  which  throve 
^•Breeders'1  Gazette,  October  23,  1913. 


THE  WEST  HIGHLAND  315 

extraordinarily  and  came  to  maturity  quite  as  rapidly  as  the  run  of  other 
Shorthorn  crosses,  but  a  proportion  of  them  tended  to  become  rather  fat  at 
the  finish,  the  land  being  somewhat  low-lying,  sheltered,  and  rich.  He  then 
tried  the  Aberdeen- Angus  bull,  and  with  perfect  success.  Finer  beasts  for  the 
butcher  than  the  two  Aberdeen-Angus  and  Highland  crosses  could  not  be 
wished.  At  twenty-four  to  thirty  months  old  his  lordship's  Angus  and  High- 
land cross  steers  have  generally  ranged  from  1200  to  1400  pounds  live 
weight.  He  has  also  bred  many  superb  animals  by  putting  a  white  Short- 
horn bull  to  cows  and  heifers  of  the  Shorthorn-Highland  cross.  The  result 
in  this  case  from  the  color  standpoint  has  been  a  large  proportion  of  roans 
and  reds  with  a  slight  frosting  of  white  hairs  all  over  their  bodies.  Putting 
the  Aberdeen-Angus  sires  to  those  first  cross  cows,  he  has  pretty  dark  blues 
and  blacks  with  white  hairs. 

The  hardiness  of  West  Highland  cattle  is  remarkable.  Used 
to  a  free  life  on  the  Scotch  hills,  where  summer  and  winter  they 
graze  on  grass  and  heather,  they  seem  capable  of  enduring  the 
roughest  climate.  In  a  letter  on  this  breed  the  Earl  of  Dunmore 
wrote  in  1887,  bearing  on  their  suitability  to  the  more  exposed 
Northwestern  American  range  : 

My  average  yearly  loss  has  not  been  three  per  cent,  which  in  a  large  fold 
of  some  four  or  five  hundred  head  of  cattle  is  very  small.  January,  February, 
and  March  are  pretty  hard  months  for  them,  as  they  get  no  food  beyond  what 
they  pick  up  on  the  hills  where  they  are  wintered.  I  have  often  seen  them 
scraping  away  the  snow  to  get  at  the  grass ;  but  notwithstanding  their  being 
out  all  winter,  they  produce  in  April  and  May  as  strong  and  lusty-looking 
calves  as  a  man  could  wish  to  see,  with  lots  of  bone  and  tremendous  thick  coats. 
That,  to  my  mind,  is  the  coming  breed  for  the  great  Northwestern  ranges. 

The  breeding  qualities  of  West  Highland  cattle  rank  high, 
though  the  heifers  are  not  bred  the  first  time  until  three  years 
of  age.  Earl  Dunmore  states  that  he  could  quote  from  his 
private  herdbook  several  cases  of  cows,  after  having  their  first 
calves  at  four  years,  continuing  to  produce  yearly  thereafter  up 
to  fourteen  years  of  age  one  living  calf  and  sometimes  twins,  all 
of  them  being  born  on  the  mountain  side. 

The  distribution  of  the  West  Highland  breed  is  mainly  in  Scot- 
land, in  the  regions  previously  indicated,  although  herds  are  kept 
in  England,  where  steers  are  also  fed  to  a  small  extent.  Although 
many  owners  of  large  estates  maintain  this  breed  for  its  pictur- 
esque character  and  easy  keep,  yet  it  is  not  common  excepting 
in  western  Scotland.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  this  is  strictly  a 


CATTLE 

mountain  breed,  one  might  assume  that  it  would  do  well  on  the 
better  pastures  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  Grazing  of  an  excel- 
lent character  is  found  on  the  mountains  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 


FIG.  133.    A  West  Highland  cow  and  calf.    From  photograph  by  W.  Reid,  by 
courtesy  of  the  Breeders'  Gazette 

and  Tennessee.    The  winters  in  that  region  lack  the  severity  of 
the  North,  thus  permitting  living  on  the  range  the  entire  year. 

An  organization  of  West  Highland  cattle  breeders  was  formed 
by  Earl  Dunmore  in  1884,  and  a  herdbook  was  published  that 
year,  nineteen  volumes  having  appeared  up  to  1919.  Some  years 
ago  an  attempt  was  made  to  organize  a  West  Highland  cattle 
association  in  the  United  States,  but  without  much  success. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

DAIRY  TYPE  OF  CATTLE 

The  general  appearance  of  dairy  cattle  is  notably  different  from 
that  of  beef  stock.  They  have  less  thickness  of  body,  less  breadth 
of  back,  narrower  thighs,  a  slenderer  neck,  and  a  more  muscular 
character  generally.  The  males  are  notably  narrower  at  the 
withers  and  more  divided  between  the  hind  quarters,  while  the 
females  are  rather  sharp  over  the  withers  and  full  and  heavy 
behind,  with  udder  of  ample  proportions.  A  rather  long,  deep- 
ribbed,  muscular,  not  fleshy  body  and  shortness  of  leg  is  notable 
in  the  high-class  male.  A  triple  wedge  form  is  associated  with 
the  dairy  cow.  Viewed  from  one  side,  she  shows  less  depth  of 
body  in  front  than  behind ;  secondly,  she  gradually  widens  from 
the  breast  to  the  points  of  the  hips  and  hind  quarters ;  thirdly, 
as  one  looks  down  on  the  back  at  the  withers  the  form  widens 
out  like  a  wedge  towards  the  middle  of  the  body.  Many  superior 
dairy  cows  show  this  wedge  form  in  a  striking  degree,  but  excep- 
tions occur  where  the  heavy  milk  production  is  not  associated 
with  an  ideal  dairy  shape.  Fleshiness  with  either  sex  is  distinctly 
objectionable,  unless  with  young  animals  not  yet  in  lactation. 

The  head  of  the  dairy  animal  should  be  lean,  broad  of  muzzle, 
large  of  nostril,  moderately  short  and  broad  of  nose,  with  some  dish 
to  the  face.  Prominent,  clear,  calm  eyes,  wide  apart,  beneath  a 
broad  full  forehead,  are  essential.  The  cheeks  should  be  deep  and 
the  lower  jaw  strong.  The  fine,  medium-sized,  thin,  pointed  ears 
must  be  neatly  placed  and  be  covered  with  fine  hair  on  the  out- 
side, with  longer  hair  at  tip  and  edges.  If  there  be  horns  they 
should  exhibit  quality,  not  being  coarse  or  shelly.  The  top  of  the 
head,  or  poll,  should  be  covered  with  a  thick  layer  of  fine  long 
hair,  especially  in  cold  weather.  A  yellow  color  of  the  inner 
skin  of  ear  and  a  yellowish  waxy  color  to  horn,  especially  at 
the  base,  are  regarded  as  indicating  that  a  cow  will  yield  milk 
rich  in  fat. 


318  CATTLE 

The  neck  tends  to  be  long  and  muscular.  With  the  bulls  it  i£ 
especially  strong  and  heavily  muscled,  usually  possessing  a  prom- 
inent arch,  while  the  neck  of  the  cow  is  thin  and  long.  The 
lower  part  of  the  neck  usually  has  more  or  less  dewlap,  this  being 
a  thin  edge  of  skin  extending  from  the  brisket  upwards.  A  very 
deep  neck  with  much  dewlap,  fullness  at  the  throat,  or  a  short, 
thick  neck  on  dairy  cattle  are  objectionable,  showing  lack  of  quality 
and  type.  While  the  neck  should  have  a  neat  attachment  at  head 
and  shoulders,  it  does  not  blend  in  so  smoothly  as  with  beef  cattle, 
owing  to  lack  of  flesh. 

The  shoulders  should  incline  at  a  good  angle  well  into  the 
back,  lying  fairly  close  together  and  forming  with  the  back  line 
rather  refined,  narrow,  or  sharp  withers.  With  the  males  greater 
breadth  of  withers  is  sought.  The  shoulders  are  usually  somewhat 
prominent,  but  heaviness  or  meatiness  is  distinctly  objectionable. 

The  breast  of  dairy  cattle  does  not  show  so  great  width  as  the 
beef  type,  and  the  brisket  is  narrower  and  sharper  and  not  carried 
quite  so  far  forward. 

The  chest,  like  the  breast,  which  is  a  part  of  it,  does  not  show 
great  thickness,  but  ample  depth  and  reasonable  spring  of  rib  is 
desired.  The  crops  —  at  the  top  of  the  chest  behind  the  shoulders 
—  are  usually  somewhat  deficient  in  dairy  cattle.  At  this  place  the 
ribs  should  have  a  fair  arch  from  the  back,  showing  ample  chest 
room  below.  The  front  flanks  also  should  be  well  filled  out,  show- 
ing a  good  constitution  in  the  ample  chest  capacity. 

The  front  legs  should  be  straight  from  side  or  front,  coming 
down  without  marked  crookedness  at  knee  or  wide  turning  in  or 
out  of  toes.  A  common  feature  of  dairy  cattle  of  both  sexes  is 
to  have  the  knees  come  quite  close  together  when  in  a  natural 
position,  thus  indicating  a  narrow  chest  and  poor  constitution. 

The  back  of  the  dairy  type  frequently  shows  some  droop  from 
withers  to  hip  line.  Some  persons  regard  a  sway  back  as  neces- 
sarily associated  with  dairy  type.  A  strong  back,  well  sustained, 
with  but  little  depression,  if  at  all,  is  much  to  be  preferred. 
Arguments  have  been  advanced  by  some  that  a  large  backbone, 
with  the  vertebrae  somewhat  separated,  offers  important  evidence 
of  such  a  nervous  temperament  as  should  be  associated  with 
the  dairy  type.  Through  the  backbone  the  spinal  cord  passes, 


DAIRY  TYPE  OF  CATTLE  319 

connecting  the  brain  with  the  entire  nervous  system.  A  large 
backbone  may  indicate  a  large  spinal  cord  and  strong  nervous 
temperament,  a  characteristic  of  the  dairy  type.  Further,  there 
should  be  a  strong,  level,  broad  loin  and  also  fair 'width  of  back 
throughout,  although  not  equal  to  that  of  the  beef  type. 

The  ribs  should  be  sufficiently  long  and  arched  to  provide  a 
capacious  body,  a  feature  most  important  with  animals  of  this  class. 
Flat  and  short  ribs  go  with  poor  feeders  and  defective  constitu- 
tions. The  body  of  the  dairy  type  being  moderately  long  or  rangy, 
the  ribs  do  not  appear  quite  so  close  together,  perhaps,  as  with 
the  beef  type,  neither  is  the  coupling  between  the  last  rib  and 
point  of  hip  as  close  as  with  other  cattle. 

The  hips  tend  to  be  somewhat  prominent  with  both  males  and 
females.  The  hip  points  of  the  male  should  be  neat  and  moder- 
ately close,  not  wide,  while  those  of  the  female  may  be  more 
widespread  and  prominent.  This  allows  plenty  of  room  for  the 
breeding  organs  of  the  female. 

The  rump  of  the  dairy  type  calls  for  ample  length,  breadth, 
and  levelness.  This  offers  more  room  for  the  reproductive  oper- 
ation, the  peaked,  droopy  rump  frequently  causing  trouble  in 
calving,  due  to  lack  of  room  for  the  easy  exit  of  the  calf.  The 
backbone  should  be  prominent  along  the  middle  of  the  rump,  in 
keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  back.  On  account  of  its  prominence 
the  backbone  from  the  hips  to  the  tail  head  over  the  pelvis  shows 
a  rise  which  is  often  termed  the  "pelvic  arch."  A  fat  rump 
is  objectionable,  a  feature  found  usually  in  inferior  milkers  and 
animals  of  the  beefy  type. 

The  thigJis  of  dairy  cattle  should  be  muscular  rather  than  fat. 
A  heavy,  thick  type  of  hind  quarter  is  not  desirable.  The  thigh 
should  be  long,  should  have  a  rather  thin  back  edge,  and  should 
curve  on  the  inside  so  as  to  permit  ample  room  between  the 
hind  legs.  A  thick  thigh  and  deep  twist  is  unfavorable  to  large 
udder  development. 

The  hocks,  to  secure  the  necessary  room  for  the  udder,  must 
be  muscular,  clean,  and  thin,  and  should  point  directly  back, 
with  ample  space  between. 

The  legs  from  hock  down  should  stand  square,  as  viewed 
from  side  or  rear,  the  toes  pointing  directly  forward  or  nearly  so. 


320  CATTLE 

If  the  toes  turn  out,  the  animal  hocks  in  and  has  a  faulty  confor- 
mation. Rarely  the  toes  turn  in  and  the  hocks  bend  outward,  giv- 
ing a  weak  and  poor  position  to  the  legs.  The  shank  bones  should 
be  smooth  and  short,  showing  refinement  of  bone  and  quality. 

The  tail  is  important  mainly  as  a  medium  for  protection  from 
flies.  Consequently  length  and  a  heavy  brush  of  hair  are  essen- 
tial. The  fleshy  part  should  extend  to  the  point  of  the  hock,  and 
the  brush  should  clear  the  level  of  the  feet  by  two  or  three  inches. 


FIG.  134.    Midland  Nellie  IV,  an  Ayrshire  cow  and  a  fine  example  of  dairy  type. 
From  a  Scotch  photograph 

The  root  of  the  tail,  or  tail  head,  should  carry  on  a  line  with 
the  back,  showing  no  coarseness  or  special  prominence,  and  fit 
neatly  to  the  end  of  the  body.  The  tail  as  a  whole  is  an  indicator 
of  quality  and  should  be  refined  rather  than  large  and  coarse. 

The  tidder  of  the  dairy  cow  is  a  most  important  part.  In  form 
it  should  be  moderately  thick,  filling  up  well  between  the  thighs, 
should  extend  by  graceful  curve  high  up  behind,  and  should  be 
extended  well  along  the  belly.  The  bottom  of  the  udder  in  its 
best  form  has  four  teats  some  three  or  four  inches  long,  hanging 
on  the  same  level  and  placed  far  enough  apart  to  be  comfortably 
grasped  in  the  hands.  When  the  milk  is  removed  from  the  udder 
that  organ  should  be  soft  and  pliable,  showing  much  shrinkage. 


DAIRY  TYPE  OF  CATTLE  321 

The  hind  part,  located  between  widespreading  thighs,  should 
show  much  elasticity,  with  folds  of  skin  apparent  in  the  empty 
udder,  especially  with  mature  cows.  Over  the  entire  udder  a 
mellow,  soft  skin  and  fine  coat  of  hair  should  be  found.  Com- 
mon defects  of  the  udder  are  small,  poor  fronts,  with  the  teats- 
on  this  part  elevated  much  above  or  close  to  the  hind  ones ; 
small  teats,  especially  with  some  breeds ;  meaty  udders,  which 
reduce  but  little  with  milking  and  yield  a  comparatively  small 
flow ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  small  udders  entirely  lacking  in  profit- 
producing  capacity.  Large  cows  should  have  larger  udders  than 
small  cows,  but  an  animal  of  from  900  to  1000  pounds  weight, 
at  six  years  old,  in  full  flow  of  milk,  should  have  an  udder  of 
comparatively  large  size,  such  as  will  yield  at  least  40  pounds  a 
day.  However,  this  standard  does  not  apply  to  the  larger,  heavier 
milking  breeds,  which  should  do  better  than  this. 

The  milk  veins,  which  convey  blood  through  the  udder,  are 
usually  regarded  as  indications  of  a  cow's  general  capacity  to 
produce  milk,  although  we  have  no  actual  facts  bearing  on  this 
point.  In  spite  of  this  the  prevailing  opinion  among  dairy-cattle 
critics  is  that  the  veins  are  in  a  measure  indicators  of  producing 
capacity.  Young  heifers  have  small  veins,  which  with  maturity 
increase  in  prominence.  On  old  cows  they  may  be  very  tortuous, 
extending  from  the  udder  forward  with  numerous  turns  along  the 
belly  until  they  enter  the  wall  of  the  belly  through  holes  known  as 
"  milk  wells."  These  latter  should  show  comparatively  large  size 
on  the  application  of  the  end  of  the  finger  at  the  orifice.  Many 
cows  have  three  milk  veins,  two  long  ones  on  the  outer  part  of  the 
belly  and  a  short  one  between.  In  rare  cases  the  veins  branch  into 
numerous  small  ones  along  the  belly  just  in  front  of  the  udder. 
Small  veins  also  occur  on  the  udders  of  some  cows.  The  length 
of  vein  varies,  usually  extending  about  halfway  to  the  forelegs, 
although  cases  occur  of  their  extending  to  the  leg  itself,  disap- 
pearing behind  the  arm.  The  size  of  the  vein  varies  much,  the 
larger  ones  having  a  diameter  of  about  three  fourths  of  an  inch. 
Small  veins  are  found  on  the  belly  of  the  males,  while  miniature 
teats,  known  as  "  rudimentaries,"  are  found  along  in  front  of  and 
on  each  side  of  the  scrotum,  or  purse,  two  usually  occurring  a  short 
distance  apart  on  a  side,  The  length  and  size  of  the  rudimentaries 


322  CATTLE 

vary  greatly,  ranging  from  small  buttons  to  teats  an  inch  long. 
We  have  no  definite  knowledge  regarding  the  significance  of  these, 
some  persons  thinking  that  the  larger  they  are  the  better  the  evi- 
dence that  the  male  will  sire  large  milkers.  Others  have  specu- 
lated that  the  position  of  the  rudimentaries  indicates  the  placing 
of  the  teats  and  form  of  fore  udder  on  the  offspring  of  the  sire. 

The  escutcheon,  also  known  as  the  "  milk  mirror,"  is  found 
along  the  back  of  the  thighs  or  between  them  and  has  attracted 
special  attention  on  dairy  cattle  only.  This  is  shown  by  a  line  of 
hair  turning  to  one  side  or  upward,  in  contrast  to  the  usual  down- 
ward position  of  the  hair.  This  line  of  reversed  hair  was  investi- 
gated by  a  Frenchman  named  Guenon,  who  argued  that  the 
escutcheon  indicated  the  capacity  of  a  cow  to  produce  milk.  In 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  extent  and  position  of  the  reversed  hair 
varies  alongside  or  above  the  udder,  Guenon  classified  its  occur- 
rence, giving  different  names  according  to  the  prominence  and 
character  shown.  Modern  dairy-cattle  authorities  attach  no  special 
significance  to  the  escutcheon,  Guenon's  theories  not  having  been 
borne  -out  in  fact. 

The  quality  of  the  dairy  type  is  shown  in  the  character  of 
skin  and  hair,  size  of  horn,  ear,  and  bone,  and  general  propor- 
tions. Under  the  ordinary  conditions  of  keep  for  cattle  of  this 
class  the  skin  should  be  very  mellow  and  pliable,  thinner  than 
with  beef  cattle,  with  a  shorter  length  of  hair.  No  class  of  cattle 
show  quality  so  clearly  as  do  some  of  the  dairy  type,  as  indicated 
by  handling,  there  being  a  rich,  mellow,  oily  feel  commonly 
associated  with  the  skin  of  high-class  animals.  The  skin  also  will 
often  show  a  yellow,  oily  secretion,  conspicuous  at  the  ears, 
between  the  thighs,  about  the  udder  and  the  scrotum,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  tail. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  JERSEY 

The  Channel  Islands  are  a  group  of  islands  in  the  English 
Channel,  from  10  to  30  miles  from  the  coast  of  France  and 
from  50  to  1 20  miles  south  of  England.  At  one  time  they 
belonged  to  France,  but  since  1204  they  have  been  under  British 
sovereignty.  There  are  four  principal  islands  —  in  order  of  impor- 
tance Jersey,  Guernsey,  Alderney,  and  Sark  —  and  a  number  of 
very  small  islets  of  no  special  significance.  These  islands  have 
rocky  and  very  dangerous  coasts  and  the  tides  vary  greatly  in  height 
and  activity,  so  that  sailors  have  a  great  dread  of  this  piece  of  sea, 
on  which  many  vessels  have  come  to  a  disastrous  end.  The  Eng- 
lish language  is  commonly  used  in  the  towns  on  the  islands,  while 
on  the  farms  and  among  the  fishermen  a  French  patois  prevails 
more  or  less.  The  islands  are  self-governed,  having  their  own 
legislative  bodies.  The  total  population  in  1911  was  96,900. 

The  island  of  Jersey,  the  largest  of  the  group,  is  about  12 
miles  long  and  7  miles  wide  and  contains  39,580  acres,  of  which 
about  25,000  are  under  cultivation.  The  island  is  rather  rec- 
tangular in  form,  the  north  shore  bold  and  high,  the  cliffs  at 
Bouley  Bay  reaching  an  elevation  of  nearly  500  feet.  The  surface 
of  the  island  gradually  slopes  to  the  south  shore,  where  is  located 
St.  Aubin's  Bay  and  the  city  of  St.  Helier  and  the  principal 
harbor.  The  island  is  divided  into  twelve  parishes  and  has  a 
population  of  about  60,000.  A  lieutenant  governor  representing 
the  British  government  has  control  of  all  military  matters,  while 
a  bailiff  is  the  highest  civil  authority,  being  president  of  the 
States,  or  Parliament.  The  climate  is  most  balmy  and  the  island 
is  a  favorite  health  resort,  outdoor  life  being  pleasant  during  the 
entire  year.  So  healthful  are  the  conditions  that  tuberculosis 
among  the  cattle  on  the  island  is  almost  unknown.  Jersey  has 
two  great  industries  —  breeding  cattle  and  growing  potatoes. 
The  soil  is  very  fertile,  and  the  farms  are  small,  ranging  from 

323 


324  CATTLE 

5  to  20  acres  each.  Enormous  crops  of  potatoes  are  grown, 
a  yield  of  500  bushels  per  acre  being  very  common,  and  a  total 
yield  for  the  island  of  as  much  as  500,000  bushels  in  a  season. 
Notwithstanding  its  small  size,  there  are  about  12,000  cattle 
kept  on  the  island,  and  the  herds  are  well  cared  for.  When 
on  pasture  each  animal  is  tethered  by  a  combination  chain 
and  rope,  and  the  grass  is  systematically  grazed-  from  day  to 
day.  Cattle  are  never  turned  loose  to  graze  as  in  America. 


FIG.  135.  A  typical  home  on  Jersey.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

The  origin  of  the  Jersey  is  unknown.  The  most  probable 
theory  is  that  it  is  descended  from  stock  at  one  time  native  to 
those  near-by  departments  of  France  known  as  Normandy  and 
Brittany.  While  the  cattle  of  those  regions  to-day  do  not  closely 
resemble  the  Jersey,  they  have  some  things  in  common.  The 
fawn  or  white  color  has  been  attributed  to  certain  cattle  of 
Normandy,  while  the  blacker  color  has  been  ascribed  to  the 
Brittany  cattle,  it  being  assumed  that  the  Jersey  has  resulted 
from  the  fusing  of  these  French  types.  Historically  the  first 
description  regarding  the  Jersey  that  the  author  has  secured, 
showing  its  resemblance  to  the  breed  of  to-day,  was  in  1789,  by 
Culley,1  who  comments  on  the  introduction  into  England  of  French 

1  George  Culley,  Observations  on  Live  Stock.    Dublin,  1789. 


THE  JERSEY  325 

or  Alderney  cattle  to  ornament  the  grounds  of  the  nobility  and 
gentry  and  to  provide  rich  milk.  The  term  "Alderney"  thus 
used  applied  to  any  of  the  Channel  Island  cattle,  and  the  use 
of  this  word  in  America  for  many  years  was  no  doubt  due  to  the 
English  custom. 

Legislation  for  the  protection  of  the  purity  of  cattle  on  Jersey 
dates  back  to  early  colonial  times.  The  value  of  preserving  the 
character  of  the  breed  was  recognized  as  early  as  1763,  when 
laws  were  passed  by  the  legislature  of  Jersey  prohibiting  the 
importing  of  cattle  from  France  to  the  island.  While  this  law 
was  recognized,  it  probably  was  not  enforced  with  much  severity. 
In  1789  an  act  was  passed  making  it  a  severe  crime,  heavily 
punishable,  to  bring  any  cattle  to  Jersey  from  France  excepting 
for  immediate  slaughter.  In  1826  a  new  law  was  enacted,  abso- 
lutely prohibiting  importing  breeding  cattle  from  France,  but  this 
law  was  revised  in  1864,  when  provision  was  made  for  bringing 
cattle  to  Jersey  from  France  for  consumption  or  reexportation. 
The  present  law  prohibits  bringing  live  cattle  to  the  island  ex- 
cepting for  food,  and  they  must  be  slaughtered  within  twenty-four 
hours  after  landing  at  the  abattoir  at  St.  Helier.  According  to 
John  Thornton  efforts  have  been  made  to  introduce  other  breeds 
on  the  island.  About  1845  a  Mr.  Revans  tried  to  introduce 
"  Durhams,"  but  these  were  finally  sold  to  the  butcher.  Some 
Ayrshires  imported  by  Colonel  Godfray  also  met  a  similar  fate. 

The  improvement  of  the  old  Jersey  type  really  began  in  a 
general  movement  on  the  part  of  the  islanders.  In  1833  the 
Royal  Jersey  Agricultural  Society  was  organized,  with  the  view, 
among  other  things,  of  improving  the  cattle.  In  1834  the  society 
originated  a  score  card  for  Jerseys,  amounting  to  twenty-five  points 
for  the  bull  and  twenty-seven  for  the  cow.  This  card  was  used 
at  the  first  show  of  cattle  on  the  island,  which  also  was  held  in 
1834.  Comments  by  the  judges  were  that  the  cattle  were  poor  of 
shape  and  had  bad  udders  and  that  some  females  had  short,  bull 
necks,  were  heavy  in  shoulder,  etc.  The  application  of  the  score 
card,  which  was  revised  in  1838,  1849,  l85x>  an^  1858,  was 
enforced,  and  the  cattle  of  Jersey  gradually  and  rapidly  improved. 
This  work  was  due  to  the  joint  efforts  of  the  members  of  the  agri- 
cultural society,  though  Colonel  Le  Couteur  was  a  leader  in  this 


326 


CATTLE 


movement  on  the  island.  The  practice  of  selection  was  followed 
with  much  care,  and  the  breeders  constantly  sacrificed  animals  of 
inferior  quality  and  value  to  the  butcher. 

The  improvement  of  the  Jersey  in  England  had  some  bearing 
on  the  general  development  of  the  breed.  Many  herds  had  been 
formed  in  England,  that  of  Lord  Braybrooke  in  Essex  County  (dat- 
ing back  to  1811)  being  still  in  existence  in  1880,  when  the  first 
volume  of  the  English  herdbook  appeared.  About  1821  Philip 
Dauncey  of  Horwood,  Buckingham  County,  purchased  his  first 

Jersey,  and  later  be- 
came England's  most 
celebrated  breeder. 
He  developed  a  re- 
markable herd,  and  it 
is  stated  that  he  even- 
tually maintained  a 
dairy  of  fifty  Jersey 
cows  which  netted  him 
an  annual  profit  of 
$100  each  from  sales 
of  butter.  His  cows 
produced  large  yields 
of  butter  and  greatly 
advertised  the  merits 
of  the  breed.  The 
herd  was  dispersed  in 

1867,-  when  ninety  head  averaged  something  over  $200  each. 
Cattle  from  this  herd  were  sold  to  go  to  different  parts  of  England, 
Germany,  Australia,  and  Tasmania.  Dauncey,  it  is  said,  bred 
with  three  prime  objects  in  view :  first,  a  large  average  butter 
record ;  second,  constitution ;  third,  uniform  color  of  hair,  free 
from  white.  Among  the  most  celebrated  cows  owned  by  him 
were  Brunette,  calved  in  1833,  the  dam  of  fourteen  calves; 
Violet,  procured  from  Colonel  Le  Couteur  in  1845  ;  and  Negress, 
a  favorite  black  cow.  Pope  652,  purchased  in  1826  from  Michael 
Fowler,  was  his  first  bull  and  proved  a  most  valuable  addition 
to  his  herd.  Dauncey  bred  the  bull  Rioter  746  E,  whose  grand- 
son Stoke  Pogis  1269  became  progenitor  in  America  of  the 


FIG.  136.    A  seaside  farm  on  the  island  of  Jersey. 
The    stack    in    the    foreground    consists   of    sea- 
weed, which   is   used   for   manure.     From  photo- 
graph by    the  author 


THE  JERSEY  327 

St.  Lambert  family.     While   Dauncey  practiced  inbreeding,  he, 
however,  greatly  emphasized  constitutional  vigor. 

The  introduction  of  Jerseys  to  America  dates  well  back  into 
the  nineteenth  century.  As  early  as  1 8 1 8  Reuben  Haines  of 
mantown,  Pennsylvania,  imported  a  pair  of  cattle  from  the  island 
of  Alderney,  but  no  definite  importation  from  the  island  of  Jersey 
seems  recorded  prior  to  1850,  when  Messrs.  Taintor,  Buck, 
Norton,  and  other  gentlemen  near  Hartford,  Connecticut,  brought 
over  in  the  ship  Splendid  the  first  from  the  island  to  be  registered 
in  the  American  herdbook.  The  bull  Splendens  16  is  probably 
the  first  registered  Island-bred  bull"  brought  to  this  country.  In 
1851  and  1855  other  importations  were  taken  to  Connecticut, 
including  some  animals  that  later  became  famous  —  notably  the 
bulls  Splendid  2,  Rob  Roy  17,  St.  Helier  45,  and  Pierrot  636, 
and  the  cows  Dot  7,  Pansy  8,  Jessie  28,  and  the  Ives  cow.  In 
1851  Thomas  Motley  imported  for  the  Massachusetts  Society  for 
Promoting  Agriculture,  bringing  over  among  other  cows  Flora  1 1 3 
and  Countess  114.  From  1850  importations  became  frequent. 
The  dates  of  the  introduction  of  the  Jersey  into  some  .other  local- 
ities are  as  follows :  Maryland,  1851;  New  York  and  Pennsylvania, 
1855  ;  Ohio,  1865  ;  Canada,  1868.  Many  importations  have  been 
made  in  recent  years. 

Characteristics  of  the  Jersey.  In  general  conformation  the 
Jersey  is  lean  and  muscular,  conforming  to  the  dairy  type.  The 
head  should  be  lean  and  fairly  short,  broad  between  the  eyes  and 
muzzle,  and  dish-faced,  both  with  male  and  female,  to  a  greater 
degree  than  with  other  common  breeds.  The  eyes  are  naturally  of 
good  size  and  prominent,  in  some  instances  being  so  bulging,  or 
"pop-eyed,"  as  it  is  termed,  as  to  appear  abnormal.  The  horns 
vary  in  form,  but  those  of  the  bull  should  be  short  and  strong, 
curving  around  forward  and  upward  and  slightly  inward,  while 
those  of  the  cow  should  be  smaller  and  perhaps  longer,  with  more 
curve.  A  white  or  amber-colored  horn  with  blackish  tip  is  the 
approved  sort,  and  when  yellow  tinted  is  assumed  by  many  to 
indicate  richness  in  butter  fat.  The  shoulders  tend  to  be  a  bit 
prominent,  the  withers  narrow  and  refined,  and  the  chest  deep 
and  of  moderate  thickness.  Too  many  Jerseys  are  narrow  chested 
and  lack  spring  of  front  rib,  a  common  criticism.  The  back  should 


328  CATTLE 

be  strong  and  well  supported,  with  little  if  any  droop,  the  ribs 
well  sprung  and  long,  the  entire  body  showing  comparatively  large 
size  and  strong  reproductive  and  digestive  capacity.  The  hips 
should  be  fairly  broad  in  the  cow,  but  not.  in  the  male ;  the  rump 
long,  wide,  and  level  ;  the  thighs  thin  and  muscular  and  set  wide 
apart ;  the  hocks  and  feet  carried  straight  with  ample  room  to 
allow  a  large  udder  between.  Jerseys  tend  to  be  narrow  at  the 
rump,  as  viewed  from  behind,  and  cow-hocked.  The  udder  is  usu- 
ally mellow  and  milks  well,  but  it  has  been  subjected  to  considerable 


FIG.  137.   A  corner  of  the  show  yard  at  Springfield,  on  Jersey,  at  the  annual  Cow 
and  Heifer  Show,  May,  1914.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

criticism  for  its  small  size  as  well  as  small  teats.  The  form  of 
the  udder  has  been  much  improved  in  recent  years,  especially 
in  the  extension  of  the  fore  quarters,  although  these  are  still  fre- 
quently elevated  and  abbreviated.  The  milk  veins  no  doubt  attain 
as  great  relative  size  and  prominence  with  the  Jersey  as  any  breed, 
often  being  very  tortuous,  long,  and  comparatively  large. 

The  color  of  the  Jersey  is  usually  referred  to  as  a  fawn,  but  it 
is  variable  in  shade,  being  yellowish,  reddish,  grayish,  brownish, 
or  silvery  fawn.  Some  are  described  as  orange  or  lemon  fawn, 
and  others  as  squirrel  gray  or  mulberry  black.  White  as  a  whole 
does  not  occur,  but  white  marks  are  quite  common,  although  a 
body  of  solid  fawn  is  preferred.  Brindle,  a  rare  color,  is  objected 


THE  JERSEY 


329 


to  and  should  cause  disqualification.  The  hair  about  the  muzzle 
and  eyes  is  usually  of  a  creamy  or  grayish  shade,  and  a  light  tone 
frequently  occurs  along  over  the  spine.  In  a  study  of  the  inherit- 
ance of  color  in  the  Jersey  by  Professor  J.  J.  Hooper  of  Kentucky 
State  University,  the  color  markings  of  1145  calves  and  2290  sires 
and  dams  were  tabulated.  It  was  found  that  the  solid  color  of 
coat  is  dominant  to  broken  color  and  that  black  tongue  and 
switch  are  dominant  to  white  tongue  and  switch.  Matings  of 
436  solid-colored  cows  with  broken-colored  bulls  produced  257 
solid-colored  calves 
and  179  of  broken 
color,  while  500  mat- 
ings  of  cows  and  bulls 
of  solid  color  produced 
425  calves  of  solid 
color  and  7  5  calves  of 
broken  color. 

In  registering  Jer- 
seys it  is  necessary 
to  specify  whether  the 
tongue  is  white  or 
black,  or  the  switch 

white  or  black,    these       FlG-  T38-  Fancy  Toltec  21 167,  about  i895,in  the  herd 

being  marks  of  identi-     of  th\lateKA1;  T- DemP*c  y-   A  P°Pular  American- 

type  show  bull.   From  photograph  given  the  author 
fication.    Where  color  by  Colonel  Dempsey 

is  made  a  point  of  im- 
portance in  the  breeding  of  a  herd,  a  dark  fawn,  shading  to  light 
along  the  backbone  and  the  lower  limbs,  meets  with  much  favor, 
though  solid  colors  of  light  fawn  are  also  very  popular.  The  most 
experienced  and  able  breeders  do  not  place  primary  emphasis  on 
color,  always  making  it  secondary  to  the  more  important  features, 
color  being  a  fancy  point  and  of  no  intrinsic  value.  The  skin 
secretions  are  usually  quite  yellow,  and,  as  seen  in  the  ear,  at  tip 
of  tail,  and  about  the  udder,  indicate  something  of  the  richness  of 
the  milk.  The  skin  itself  should  be  thin,  very  elastic  and  mellow, 
and  with  a  fine  thick  coat  of  hair. 

The  size  of  the  Jersey  may  be  classed  as  small  to  medium,  with 
a  tendency  in  breeders  to  secure  a  medium  sort.     Taking  the 


330  CATTLE 

records  of  weights  in  the  register  of  merit,  many  of  which  are 
estimated,  25  yearling  heifers  averaged  698  pounds,  the  range 
being  from  600  to  850;  50  two-year-olds  averaged  779  pounds, 
the  range  being  from  600  to  1000 ;  50  three-year-olds  averaged 
827  pounds,  the  range  being  from  650  to  1000;  while  the  aged 
cows  averaged  908  pounds,  the  range  .being  from  750  to  1080. 
Eleven  of  the  aged  cows  weighed  1000  pounds  or  more  and 
22  weighed  from  900  to  1000  pounds.  The  average  weight  of 
24  cows  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893  was  922^ 
pounds.  One  may  regard  700  pounds  as  a  fair  weight  for  a  heifer 
approaching  two  years  of  age,  while  fully  matured  cows  should 
weigh  from  850  to  900  pounds.  One  finds  considerable  range  in 
weight  of  Jersey  bulls.  Eighteen  bulls,  heads  of  herds  from  which 
the  author  secured  records,  weighed  from  1 040  to  1 790  pounds, 
the  average  being  1415  pounds.  In  general  a  weight  of  from  1300 
to  1400  pounds  is  preferable  in  the  mature  Jersey  male. 

Early  maturity  of  the  Jersey  is  more  marked  than  with  any 
other  common  breed  of  cattle.  Repeated  cases  are  on  record  of 
Jersey  females,  through  accident,  having  the  first  calf  before  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  days  old.  Both  males  and  females  develop 
rapidly  and  are  often  in  service  too  early  for  the  good  of  the  herd 
or  breed.  Occasionally  one  will  find  a  herd  of  Jerseys,  where  the 
owner  has  bred  the  heifers  to  come  fresh  at  eighteen  to  twenty 
months  old.  In  these  herds  one  is  impressed  by  the  small  size 
and  runty  appearance  of  the  cows.  The  wiser  and  more  thought- 
ful breeders  of  to-day  plan  to  have  their  heifers  come  fresh 
about  thirty  months  old,  depending  somewhat  upon  the  vigor  and 
size  of  the  animals  to  be  bred.  A  greater  vitality  and  producing 
capacity  is  thus  secured. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Jersey  to  a  wide  range  of  conditions 
is  well  established.  While  the  breed  has  its  native  home  on  an 
island  with  a  very  mild  climate,  one  finds  important  herds  of 
Jerseys  under  a  great  variety  of  conditions.  In  America  there  are 
herds  at  wide  extremes  of  latitude  and  altitude,  for  in  the  cold 
Northland  and  the  sunny  South  and  on  the  low  prairies  of  Texas 
and  the  high  altitudes  of  the  western  Rocky  Mountains  do  we 
find  Jerseys  successfully  established.  Without  question  this  breed 
readily  adjusts  itself  to  its  environment,  not  only  in  America  but 
also  in  various  other  countries. 


THE  JERSEY 


331 


The  prolificacy  and  vitality  of  the  Jersey  may  be  regarded  as 
very  fair,  and  in  those  herds  long  continued  under  uniform  man- 
agement the  cows  of  this  breed  reproduce  with  reasonable  regu- 
larity. Under  average  conditions  the  Jersey  may  be  expected  to_ 
produce  one  calf  a  year,  and  while  twins  occasionally  are  dropped 
they  are  the  rare  exception.  The  cows  breed  for  many  years,  and 
it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  find  animals  twelve  years  or  more  of 
age  that  have  been  steady  producers.  Figgis,  the  champion  cow 
at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  was  thirteen  years  old 
and -Marjoram  2d  sixteen  years  old  at  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition.  Lass's  Jewel 
113211  up  to  eighteen 
years  of  age  had  dropped 
twelve  calves  and  so  also 
had  St.  Lambert's  Riotress 
106220.  Pogis  Irene  2d 
146435  at  the  age  of  fif- 
teen years  completed  a 
year's  official  record  of 
9177  pounds  of  milk  and 
was  the  mother  of  ten 
calves.  There  are  many 
examples  of  aged  Jersey 
bulls,  notable  among 
them  Pedro,  in  service  un- 
til nearly  twenty  years  old. 

The  temperament  and  disposition  of  the  Jersey  may  be  viewed 
from  the  sex  standpoint  in  two  ways  :  the  cows  are  very  mild 
and  gentle  of  disposition  and  are  easily  handled  when  given 
kindly  care.  The  bulls,  however,  tend  to  be  nervous  and  irritable 
and  need  to  be  handled  with  much  care  and  discretion.  Even  on 
the  island,  where  the  cows  have  the  most  friendly  relationship 
with  the  caretakers,  the  bulls  are  nervous  and  are  given  very  re- 
stricted liberties.  There  are  examples  of  males  of  the  breed  that 
are  quiet  and  tractable,  but  in  general  the  bulls  of  none  of  our 
other  breeds  of  cattle  are  so  nervous  and  require  such  careful 
watching  and  restriction  as  does  the  Jersey.  Age  does  not  seem 
to  modify  the  disposition  of  the  average  bull  of  the  breed,  and 
the  wise  Jersey  cattleman  will  take  no  chances  with  his  bull. 


FIG.  139.  Pedro  3187  at  eighteen  years  of  age. 
Grand-champion  Jersey  male  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition,  1893,  and  one  of  the 
most  noted  of  American-bred  Jersey  bulls ;  long 
at  the  head  of  the  herd  of  Mr.  T.  S.  Cooper, 
Coopersburg,Pennsylvania.  From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Cooper 


332  CATTLE 

The  prepotency  of  the  Jersey  is  one  of  its  striking  character- 
istics. Both  form  and  color  are  transmitted  from  generation  to 
generation  in  a  marked  degree.  In  well-established  herds,  where 
systematic  breeding  is  attempted,  one  may  find  striking  evidences 
of  this  prepotency,  notably  in  head,  udder,  and  color.  Used  on 
grade  herds  the  Jersey  bull  impresses  himself  on  his  offspring  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  herd  takes  on  all  the  external  evidence 
of  the  pure-bred. 

The  Jersey  in  crossing  or  grading  may  be  used  to  great  advan- 
tage, at  least  in  the  latter  way.  There  are  many  high-grade  Jersey 
herds  in  the  country  that  are  very  profitable  producers  of  butter 
and  milk.  If  bulls  of  proper  breeding  and  individual  merit  are 
used  on  native  cows  very  superior  dairy  herds  should  result.  If 
crossed  with  other  breeds  the  Jersey  should  be  used  under  con- 
ditions that  are  not  too  violent  as  extremes.  The  author  has  seen 
some  very  attractive  examples  of  using  a  Dexter  bull  on  Jersey  cows, 
in  which  small  dairy  cows  of  very  milky  character  were  produced. 

The  Jersey  as  a  beef  producer  is  not  worthy  of  serious  consid- 
eration. The  meat  is  rich  in  quality  and  fine  of  grain  but  is  too 
yellow  in  fat  coloring  to  suit  butchers.  Jersey  steers  will  lay  on 
flesh  fairly  well,  but  do  not  dress  out  well  in  slaughtering,  having 
more  offal  and  internal  fat  than  the  distinctive  beef  breeds.  In 
a  breed-feeding  experiment  for  beef  at  the  Michigan  Agricul- 
tural College  the  Jersey  steer  Roscoe  at  1161  days  weighed  1490 
pounds  (showing  a  daily  gain  of  1.28  pounds)  and  dressed  out 
59.4  per  cent,  compared  with  a  Shorthorn  which  dressed  out 
66.8  per  cent.  Of  six  breeds  tested  the  Jersey  made  the  poorest 
showing.  Three  Jersey  steers  fed  by  two  experiment  stations,  as 
reported  by  Henry  in  "  Feeds  and  Feeding,"  showed  an  average 
daily  gain  for  1058  days  of  1.36  pounds  per  day,  ranking  ninth 
among  eleven  breeds  in  daily  gain,  but  standing  last  in  per  cent 
of  dressed  weight.  In  a  steer-feeding  experiment  conducted  by 
the  Iowa  Station  with  nine  breeds,  the.  valuation  placed  on  the 
Jersey  carcass  by  Chicago  experts  was  $4.50  a  hundred,  the  lowest 
of  the  nine,  the  Hereford  being  $6.62^. 

The  Jersey  as  a  producer  of  milk,  under  average  conditions, 
does  not  rank  high.  However,  since  official  tests  have  become 
common,  we  find  many  Jersey  cows  that  have  produced  relatively 


THE  JERSEY 


333 


large  yields  of  milk.  Many  years  ago,  whert  only  private  tests 
were  made  of  Jersey  production,  some  records  were  regarded  as 
large  that  since  have  been  displaced  by  official  ones.  For  exam- 
ple, Gertie  of  Glynllyn  74474  was  credited  in  1898-1899  with 
16,780  pounds  of  milk,  La  Petite  Mere  2d  12810  with  16,699 
pounds  8  ounces  in  1885-1886,  and  Matilda  4th  12816  with 
16,153  pounds  12  ounces  the  same  year,  these  being  regarded  as 


FIG.  140.    Raleigh's  Fairy  Boy  83767,  imported  by  T.  S.  Cooper  and  sold  at  his 

1909  sale  for  $8200  to  C.  I.  Hudson  of  New  York.    Notable  as  a  champion 

and  sire.     A  fine  example  of  the  modern  Island-type  bull.    From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Hudson 

remarkable  records.  In  one  day  Adelaide  of  St.  Lambert  73652 
gave  a  yield  of  75  pounds  12  ounces.  But  it  is  no  longer  neces- 
sary to  quote  private  records,  for  official  testing  is  now  established 
on  a  large  scale  and  the  records  of  many  cows  are  available.  The 
table  on  page  334  contains  some  of  the  more  important  register-of- 
merit  records  for  one  year  of  milk  production. 

In  addition  to  these  records  there  have  been  many  large  milk 
records  of  Jerseys  for  either  longer  or  shorter  periods.  Some  of 
the  notable  examples  are  as  follows:  Sophie  I9th  of  Hood  Farm 
189748  produced  in  eight  consecutive  years  100,557  pounds  of 


334  CATTLE 

HIGH  OFFICIAL  ANNUAL  MILK  RECORDS  OF  JERSEY  Cows 


NAME  AND  NUMBER  OF  Cow 

AGE 

YEAR  OF  TEST 

MILK  YIELD 

Passport  210742 

8 

I  Q  1  4.—  I  Q  I  C 

19,694  lb.    2.0  oz. 

iy  14.     iy  i  ^ 

Eminent's  Bess  209719    

7 

I9II-I9I2 

18,782  lb.  15.6  oz. 

Lass  4Oth  of  Hood  Farm  223642  .     .     . 

5 

I9I2-I913 

18,661  lb.    7.0  oz. 

Lass  66th  of  Hood  Farm  271896  .    -.     . 

3 

I9I4-I9IS 

17,793  lb.  1  1.2  oz. 

Sophie  igth  of  Hood  Farm  189748  .     . 

7 

I9I2-I9I3 

17,557  lb.  12.0  oz. 

Jacoba  Irene  146443    

9 

I9O8-I9O9 

17.253  lb.    3-2  oz- 

Blue  Fox's  Eminent's  Chromo  317736  . 

8 

I9I7-I9I8 

17,217  lb.    8.0  oz. 

Temisia's  Owl's  Rose  215973   .... 

8 

I9I4-I9I5 

17,056  lb.    6.4  oz. 

Dosoris  Park  Lily  223783     

5 

I9I6-I9I7 

16,728  lb.     1.6  oz. 

Spermfield  Owl's  Eva  193934  .... 

8 

I9I2-I9I3 

16,457  lb.    6.4  oz. 

milk ;  Spermfield  Owl's  Eva  193934,  from  November,  1906,  to 
December,  1916,  produced  90,642  pounds  of  milk  —  an  average 
of  9065  pounds  a  year  for  ten  consecutive  years  ;  Pogis  Irene  2d 
146435  at  eighteen  years  of  age  produced  9930  pounds  of 
milk ;  Lucky  Farce  298177  produced  in  one  year  (commencing  a 
yearling)  14,260  pounds  of  milk;  Jacoba  Irene  146443  in  one 
day  produced  69.8  pounds  of  milk;  Passport  219742  averaged 
53.9  pounds  daily  for  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days. 

In  the  ninety-day  test  at  the  Columbian  Exposition  the  25 
Jersey  cows  in  the  trial,  including  sick  ones,  averaged  33  pounds 
of  milk  daily,  while  in  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  test 
25  cows  during  ninety  days  averaged  41.5  pounds  of  milk  per 
day.  Up  to  May  i,  1919,  there  were  in  register  of  merit  tests 
11493  cows  and  heifers  of  various  ages.  Yearly  records  of  nearly 
7000  cows  have  averaged  7808  pounds  of  milk  each. 

The  Jersey  as  a  milk-fat  producer  is  justly  famous.  An  impor- 
tant feature  in  connection  with  Jersey  milk  is  that  the  fat  globules 
are  comparatively  large  and  the  cream  rises  or  separates  easily. 
The  value  of  Jersey  milk  for  producing  superior  butter  was 
recognized  over  a  century  ago  in  England  and  first  attracted 
Dauncey  to  the  breed.  Many  fine  records  have  been  made  in 
England  and  on  the  island  of  Jersey,  but  America  has  led  in 
the  testing  of  this  breed.  In  1853  the  first  Jersey  butter  test 
was  made  in  this  country,  Thomas  Motley  of  Massachusetts  test- 
ing the  cow  Flora  113,  when,  as  a  three-year-old,  14  pounds 


THE  JERSEY 


335 


8  ounces  of  butter  was  made  in  seven  days  from  her  milk.  The 
same  year  the  cow  Rose  240  yielded  17  pounds  in  seven  days. 
From  this  time  thousands  of  seven-day  tests  have  been  made  of 
Jersey  cows,  showing  records  ranging  from  14  pounds  of  churned, 
salted,  and  worked  butter,  up  to  that  of  Princess  2d  8046,  reported"" 
in  1885  to  have  made  an  official  test  of  46  pounds  12^  ounces  in 
one  week.  The  testing  of  Jerseys  for  butter  production  became  so 
extensive  that  Major  Campbell  Brown  of  Tennessee  and  others 
collated  and  published  two  volumes  of  such  tests,  and  later,  in 
1890,  the  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  took  up  this  work  officially. 
Several  thousand  records  have  been  published  in  book  form  by 
the  club.  Many  of  these  records  were  so  high  as  to  cause  sus- 
picion of  the  integrity  of  the  testing,  which  finally  resulted  in  the 
club's  providing  for  butter-fat  tests  as  well  as  churn  tests,  to  be 
supervised  by  experiment-station  or  agricultural-college  officials. 
However,  between  1879  and  1892  a  number  of  remarkable 
records  were  claimed  of  yearly  butter  production  in  private  tests. 
The  following  six  cows  attained  great  fame  in  this  connection  : 


NAME  AND  NUMBER  OF  Cow 

RECORD 

DURATION 

YEAR  OF  TEST 

Eurotas  2454  
Mary  Ann  of  St.  Lambert  9770 
Landseers'  Fancy  2876     .... 
Eurotissirna  ^9668    .          .... 

778  lb.  i  oz. 
867  lb.  I4f  oz. 
936  lb.  I4f  oz. 
04.  c  lb  Q  oz. 

365  days 
365  days 
365  days 
i6c  days 

1879-1880 
1883-1884 
1885-1886 
1886-1887 

Bisson's  Belle  31144     
Signal's  Lily  Flagg  31035      ... 

1025  lb.  15  oz. 
1047  lb.  f  oz. 

365  days 
365  days 

1888-1889 
1891-1892 

Since  1893,  when  the  Jersey  breed  took  official  part  in  the 
dairy  breed  competition  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition 
and  disinterested  persons  supervised  the  tests,  such  large  private 
tests  have  not  been  reported.  Unquestionably  many  Jersey  cows 
will  yield  from  14  to  17  pounds  of  butter  in  a  week,  while  a  few 
may  pass  20  pounds.  The  best  record  made  in  a  week  at  the 
Columbian  was  by  the  cow  Brown  Bessie  74997  of  20.163  pounds  ; 
in  thirty  consecutive  days  her  yield  was  77.319  pounds.  In  the 
Columbian  Exposition  tests  the  Jersey  excelled  both  Guernsey 
and  Shorthorn  in  butter-fat  production.  At  the  Pan-American 
Exposition  in  1901  the  Jersey  stood  second  among  ten  breeds  in 


336 


CATTLE 


profitable  fat  production,  the  Guernsey  leading.  In  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition  the  Jersey  surpassed  the  Holstein-Friesian 
and  Brown  Swiss  in  butter  and  cost  of  production,  the  aver- 
age cost  per  pound  being  10^  cents  for  the  Jersey,  13^-  cents  for 
the  Holstein,  and  I4§  cents  for  the  Brown  Swiss.  In  ninety 
days  in  this  test  the  Jersey  cow  Loretta  D.  141708  produced 
280.16  pounds  butter  fat,  which  returned  a  net  profit  of  $50.52. 


FIG.  141.    Oxford  Majesty  134090  (imp.)  at  twelve  years  of  age.    A  remarkably 
prepotent  sire  of  great  show  cows.    Owned  by  A.  K.  Heath,  Creamery,  Pennsyl- 
vania.   From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Heath 

Authenticated  butter-fat  tests  of  Jersey  cows  were  given 
indorsement  on  May  6,  1903,  by  the  American  Jersey  Cattle 
Club,  when  what  was  designated  a  "  Register  of  Merit "  of  Jersey 
cattle  was  established.  The  purpose  of  this  was  to  raise  to  a 
higher  standard  the  average  excellence  of  the  Jersey  cow  and  to 
secure  additional  authoritative  and  permanent  record  to  which 
reference  could  be  made  in  the  selection  of  breeding  animals. 
Cows  are  divided  into  three  classes  :  A,  A  A,  and  B.  A  cow  is 
entitled  to  entry  in  Class  A  after  producing  in  one  year  the 
amount  of  butter  fat  or  butter  specified  by  the  rules.  A  cow  is 
entitled  to  entry  in  Class  AA  provided  she  produces  the  required 


THE  JERSEY  337 

butter  fat  or  butter,  and  also  produces  a  living  calf,  which  has 
been  carried  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  days  during  the 
test.  Class  B  is  for  seven-day  official  tests  of  butter-fat  or  butter 
production.  A  bull  is  entitled  to  entry  in  the  register  of  merit 
after  three  of  his  daughters  from  as  many  different  dams  have 
been  entered  on  the  year's  authenticated  test.  "  These  tests  are 
supervised  by  a  representative  of  a  State,  Provincial  or  National 
experiment  station  or  agricultural  college,  who  certifies  as  to  the 
weight  of  the  milk,  and  the  percentage  of  fat  it  contains  on  the 
days  on  which  the  cow  is  under  official  test."1 

The  required  yield  in  authenticated  tests  of  Jerseys  is  as  follows : 

If  the  test  is  commenced  the  day  the  cow  is  two  years  old,  or  previous  to 
that  day,  she  must  produce  within  one  year  from  the  date  the  test  begins, 
250.5  Ib.  butter  fat.  For  each  day  the  cow  is  over  two  years  old  at  the  begin- 
ning of  her  year's  test,  the  amount  of  butter  fat  she  must  produce  in  the  year 
is  fixed  by  adding  o.i  (one-tenth)  of  a  pound  for  each  such  day  to  the  250.5  Ib. 
required  when  two  years  old.  This  ratio  of  increase  applies  until  the  cow 
is  five  years  old  at  the  beginning  of  her  test,  when  the  required  amount  will 
have  reached  360  Ib.,  which  will  be  the  amount  of  butter  fat  required  of  all 
cows  five  years  old  or  over.  These  standards  are  based  upon  one  complete 
year's  record,  from  the  time  of  beginning,  regardless  of  any  time  which  may 
be  lost  by  being  dry  or  calving  during  that  period. 

Since  the  establishment  of  the  authenticated  butter-fat  tests  a 
large  number  of  cows  have  secured  a  place  in  the  register  of 
merit.  During  March,  1919,  there  were  entered  2812  cows  in 
official  tests,  while  the  previous  March,  2703  animals  were  tested. 
The  ten  leading  Jersey  cows  in  butter-fat  tests  for  one  year, 
as  recorded  in  the  register  of  merit,  are  as  follows  : 

Vive  La  France  319616 produced  1031. 64  Ib.  fat 

Sophie's  Agnes  296759 produced  1000.07  Ib.  fat 

Sophie  igth  of  Hood  Farm  189748.     .  produced     999.10  Ib.  fat 

Spermfield  Owl's  Eva  193934      .     .     .  produced     993.30  Ib.  fat 

Old  Man's  Darling  2d  319617     .     .     .  produced     983.68  Ib.  fat 

Eminent's  Bess  209719 produced     962.80  Ib.  fat 

Dosoris  Park  Lily  233783 produced     957.43  Ib.  fat 

Jacoba  Irene  146443 produced     952.90  Ib.  fat 

St.  Mawes  Poppy  219992 produced     952.28  Ib.  fat 

Olympia's  Fern  252060 produced     937.80  Ib.  fat 

1  Register  of  Merit  of  Jersey  Cattle,  December,  1917. 


338 


CATTLE 


Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  test  up  to  1918  was  that  of  the 
three-year-old-cow  Vive  La  France  319616,  owned  in  Oregon, 
that  produced  12,744.8  pounds  of  milk  in  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  days,  testing  892.63  pounds  fat.  Sophie  I9th  of  Hood 
Farm  occupies  the  greatest  place  of  distinction  among  Jersey 
cows  as  a  long-distance  performer,  for  in  eight  periods  of 
lactation  up  to  1919  she  has  produced  a  total  of  5787  pounds  of 

fat,  or  more  than  three 
tons  of  estimated  butter. 
About  January  i,  1916, 
Secretary  Gow  of  the 
American  Jersey  Cattle 
Club  stated1  that  the 
average  per  cent  of  fat 
in  the  milk  of  4295 
official  annual  tests  was 
5.34  per  cent,  which  is 
probably  slightly  higher 
than  would  prevail  un- 
der average  conditions, 
when  tests  were  not  con- 
ducted. In  reporting  on 
the  results  of  tests  in 

FIG.  142.    Agatha's  Oxford  Noble,  P.  4850  H.  C.      age    classes    Mr.    Gow 
First-prize  bull  over  Jersey  bulls  from  tested  dams,       stated    that    IS  28    two 
1912.   Owner,  J.  H.  Perree,  Oaklands,  island  of  Jer- 
sey. From  photograph  by  the  author  year-old  cows  averaged 

352.75  pounds  fat,  769 

three-year-olds  averaged  396.10  pounds  fat,  539  four-year-olds 
averaged  448.80  pounds  fat,  and  1461  cows  five  years  old  aver- 
aged 479.40  pounds  fat.  These  records  are  extremely  creditable 
to  the  breed  and  give  ample  evidence  of  the  capacity  of  the 
Jersey  as  a  producer. 

Jersey  milk  in  cheese  production  is  used  to  but  a  limited 
degree.  At  one  time  it  was  thought  that  milk  of  average  butter- 
fat  content  made  a  better  cheese  than  that  of  richer  quality. 
However,  the  investigations  in  the  working  dairy  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  demonstrated  that  milk  rich 

1  Hoard's  Dairyman,  December  24,  1915. 


THE  JERSEY 


339 


in  butter  fat  made  more  valuable  and  better  cheese  than  milk 
inferior  in  butter  fat.  In  the  Exposition  cheese  test  the  following 
records  were  secured  in  a  fifteen-day  test : 


AMOUNT 

VALUE 

AMOUNT  MILK  PER 

BREED 

CHEESE 

VALUE 

COST 

POUND 

POUND  CHEESE 

Jersey    .... 

1451.76  lb. 

#193-98 

$98.14 

$0.13* 

9.16  lb. 

Guernsey  .     .     . 

1130.62  lb. 

135-22 

76.25 

O.I2 

9.67  lb. 

Shorthorn  . 

1077.60  lb. 

140.14 

99-36 

O.I3 

1  1.31  lb. 

This  record  clearly  shows  that  Jersey  milk  holds  a  high  place 
in  cheese  production.  It  finds  its  most  important  use,  however, 
in  butter-making  or  in  the  retail  milk  trade,  comparatively  little 
being  made  into  cheese. 

Jersey  families  of  distinction  are  to-day  divided  into  two 
groups  :  those  more  especially  of  island  breeding  and  those  of 
American  breeding  quite  removed  from  recent  island  importation. 
There  are  examples,  however,  in  which  there  is  essentially  a 
combination  of  blood  lines  from  the  two  groups.  There  has  also 
been  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  some  to  regard  certain  lines  of 
breeding  as  distinct  families,  although  in  fact  these  are  more 
strictly  speaking  subfamilies.  These  branch  families  are  perhaps 
justifiable,  but  special  recognition  is  sometimes  given  which  is 
hardly  worth  while.  Some  person  successfully  promotes  a  line 
of  breeding  and  then  gives  a  family  title  to  the  same,  which 
becomes  adopted  by  common  usage.  However,  the  following 
described  families  may  be  regarded  as  the  more  distinguished 
of  the  many  to  which  reference  might  be  made. 

ISLAND-BRED  FAMILIES 

The  Golden  Lad  family  descends  from  Sultane,  P.  7  H.  C., 
but  derives  its  name  from  the  bull  Golden  Lad,  P.  1242  H.  C., 
first-prize  bull  over  the  Island  in  1890.  Golden  Lad  was  sired 
by  Sultane 's  Favourite,  P.  873  H.  C.  and  had  for  dam  Golden 
Lass  4th,  P.  2447  H.  C.,  second  prize  on  Jersey  in  1888,  a 
granddaughter  of  Sultane,  P.  7  H.  C.  and  regarded  as  founder 
of  this  family.  Many  of  the  most  famous  of  the  Island-bred 
animals  trace  directly  back  to  Golden  Lad. 


340  CATTLE 

The  Oxford  family  descends  from  Oxford  Daisy,  F.  6816 
H.  C.,  but  receives  its  special  distinction  through  Oxford  Lass, 
P.  3582,  C.,  one  of  the  most  noted  cows  produced  on  the  island. 
Oxford  Lass  was  dam  of  Oxford  Lad,  P.  3123  H.  C.,  one  of 
the  great  bulls  of  the  island,  sire  of  Majesty,  Lucy's  Champion, 
and  Sultana's  Oxford  Lad,  and  also  sire  of  forty-two  tested  cows. 
Oxford  Lass  was  also  granddam  of  Oxford  You'll  Do  111860 
(imp.),  winner  of  first  prize  over  Jersey  in  1911  and  a  noted  sire 
of  tested  cows.  The  Oxford  family  is  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  present-day  island  breeding. 

The  Cowslip  family  descends  from  Cowslip,  P.  24  C.,  a  first- 
prize  cow  on  the  island  in  1876.  Her  granddaughter  Cowslip 
1 6th,  P.  6084  H.  C.,  by  Golden  Lad,  is  regarded  as  the  essential 
head  of  this  family.  Cowslip  i6th  was  winner  of  the  Parish 
Prize  on  the  island  in  1902,  but  she  is  most  noted  as  the 
$5000  cow,  dam  and  granddam  of  a  number  of  animals  of 
exceptional  merit,  especially  in  production. 

The  Fontaine  family  began  with  Fontaine,  F.  2058  C.,  first 
over  Jersey  in  1886,  and  a  heavy  milk  producer.  Her  daughter 
Fontaine  4th,  P.  2537  C.,  was  dam  of  Fontaine  7th,  9th,  and 
loth,  first-prize  winners  on  the  island.  Fontaine's  Chief,  P. 
4153  H.  C.,  was  noted  as  a  show  bull,  both  on  the  island  and  in 
America,  and  has  a  large  number  of  officially  tested  daughters 
to  his  credit. 

The  Financial  Interest  family  descends  from  Interest,  F.  3582 
C.,  a  remarkable  producer  of  milk  and  progeny.  She  has  an 
island  record  of  56  pounds  of  milk  in  twenty-four  hours  and  25 
pounds  6  ounces  of  butter  in  seven  days.  She  produced  a  number 
of  notable  daughters,  including  Finance,  P.  S.  461 1  C.,  the  dam  of 
Financial  Pride  and  Financial  Queen,  P.  S.  7766  H.  C.,  155098, 
the  latter  being  dam  of  Financial  Countess  1 5  5 1  oo  with  register 
of  merit  record  of  935  pounds  10  ounces  of  butter  in  a  year. 
Financial  King,  P.  2624  H.  C.,  a  son  of  Finance,  was  sire  of 
uncommonly  high-class  cows,  including  Financial  Countess 
155100,  Financial  Interest  167527,  and  Financial  Princess 
167528.  From  Compound  Interest  152193  (imp.),  a  daughter 
of  Interest,  came  Interested  Prince  58224  (imp.),  one  of  the 
most  notable  recent-day  sires. 


THE  JERSEY 


341 


The  Rosette  family  traces  from  Rosette  through  her  daughter 
Rosette  2d,  F.  943  H.  C.  and  her  granddaughter  Rosette  4th, 
P.  2128  C.  Bred  to  Sarabond,  P.  797  H.  C.,  Rosette  4th  pro- 
duced Rosette  5th,  P.  2881  H.  C.,  imported  by  Mr.  Cooper  under 
the  name  of  Sultana's  Rosette  149740.  She  proved  a  remark- 
able breeder  and  dropped  the  bulls  Flying  Fox,  P.  2729  H.  C. 
(Champion  Flying  Fox  61441,  imp.),  Ravachol,  P.  2032  C., 
and  Forfarshire,  P.  2914  H.  C.,  three  of  the  great  island-bred 
bulls,  and  the  cow 
Alicante,  P.  3880 
H.  C.,  dam  of  the 
Owl,  P.  2195  H.  C., 
a  leading  island-bred 
sire,  first  over  Jersey 
in  1897.  Spermfield 
Owl  57088,  a  son  of 
the  Owl,  has  been  one 
of  the  leading  sires  in 
America,  his  daugh- 
ters Spermfield  Owl's 
Eva,  Spermfield  Owl's 
Temisia,  Owl's  Sayda 
Queen,  Owl's  Inter- 
ested Tones,  Sperm- 
field  Owl's  Victoria 
Lass,  and  Violet's  Owl 

being  a  remarkable  group  of  sisters  with  milk  records  ranging 
from  13,158  pounds  to  16,457  pounds  and  butter-fat  records 
ranging  from  680  pounds  to  993  pounds. 


FIG.  143.    Sultan's  Finance  (14100),  first-prize  cow 

over  Jersey.    A  very  beautiful  Island  type.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 


AMERICAN  JERSEY  FAMILIES 

The  Signal  family  descends  from  old  Pansy  8,  calved  in 
1853  and  imported  when  two  years  old  by  Mr.  John  T.  Norton 
of  Connecticut.  She  had  four  daughters  —  Pansy  2d  259,  Pansy 
5th  414,  Pansy  6th  38,  and  Pansy  7th  130  —  and  two  sons  — 
York  8  and  Living  Storm  173.  Pansy  6th  38  dropped  ten  sons 
and  daughters,  one  of  which,  Pansy  Morris  2060,  calved  in  1870, 


342 


CATTLE 


was  the  dam  of  Signal  1170,  one  of  the  most  notable  and 
prepotent  sires  of  the  breed  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Cows  of  Signal  breeding  were  greatly  in  favor  and 
especially  notable  for  being  producers  of  butter  fat. 

The  Coomassie  family  descends  from  Coomassie  1 1874,  imported 
in  1 88 1  by  S.  M.  Burnham.  Coomassie  was  the  dam  of  Khedive, 
P.  103,  the  sire  of  Princess  2d,  with  a  so-called  official  test  of 
46  pounds  12!  ounces  of  butter  in  seven  days.  Tormentor  3533 
(imp.),  one  of  the  greatest  bulls  of  the  breed,  was  a  grandson  of 

Coomassie,  being  sired 
by  Khedive.  Many 
persons  have  consid- 
ered Coomassie  the 
greatest  cow  ever  im- 
ported from  the  island. 
In  1885  L.  S.  Hardin 
wrote1:  "Her  blood 
•has  developed  the 
greatest  individual 
butter  maker,  Prin- 
cess 2d,  and  thirty- 
one  animals  with  tests 
of  fourteen  pounds 
and  over  in  direct  de- 


FIG.  144.  Eurotas  2454  (imp.),  a  Jersey  cow 
remarkable  as  a  great  dam  and  also  as  a  producer 
of  milk.  The  mother  of  Pedro.  She  had  a  private 
record  of  778  pounds  of  churned  butter  in  eleven 
months  five  days.  Owned  by  A.  B.  Darling.  From 
photograph  by  Schreiber 


scent  from  her,  with- 
out the  aid  of  any 
special  outcross." 

The  Eurotas  family  descends  from  Eurotas  2454,  calved  in 
1874.  This  is  also  referred  to  as  the  Alphea  family,  for  the 
reason  that  Eurotas  was  a  granddaughter  of  Alphea  171.  Eurotas, 
herself  a  remarkable  dam,  with  a  private  record  of  778  pounds 
i  ounce  of  butter  in  a  year,  was  also  dam  of  eight  sons  and  two 
daughters  of  exceptional  merit.  Her  son  Pedro  3187  will  always 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  sires  of  the  breed,  and  through 
him  is  a  long  list  of  unusual  sons  and  daughters.  In  1918 
Mr.  T.  S.  Cooper,  long  the  owner  of  Pedro,  wrote2:  ''With 

1  The  Jersey  Cow.    A  pamphlet  by  the  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club. 

2  Jersey  Bidletin,  March  27,  1918. 


THE  JERSEY  343 

128  tested  daughters  and  granddaughters,  the  Jersey  breed 
appears  to  have  been  benefited  by  the  influence  of  Pedro  3187." 
Coomassie  and  Eurotas  blood  blended  especially  well. 

The  St.  Lambert  family  originated  at  St.  Lambert,  Quebec, 
Canada,  through  importation  made  in  1868  by  the  Stephens 
family.  This  original  herd  consisted  of  two  bulls  and  fifteen 
cows,  with  the  later  addition  of  two  cows  and  a  bull.  "  To  be, 


FIG.  145.    Mary  Anne  of  St.  Lambert  9770,  classed  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful 

Jersey  cows  of  her  time.    The  property  of  Valancey  E.  Fuller  (then  of  Canada), 

she  had  a  private  record  of  867  pounds  14^  ounces  butter  in  three  hundred  and 

sixty-five  days.    From  photograph  by  Schreiber 

technically  speaking,"  writes  Mr.  Valancey  E.  Fuller,  the  best 
authority  on  this  family,1  "a  pure  St.  Lambert,  an  animal  must 
have  as  a  foundation,  without  an  outcross,  one  of  the  following 
bulls  :  Defiance  196,  Victor  Hugo  197,  or  Stoke  Pogis  3d  2238  ; 
and  one  of  the  following  cows  :  Victoria  411,  Pride  of  Windsor 
283,  Amelia  484,  Juliet  485,  Alice  488,  Hebe  489,  Berthe  490, 
Bonnie  491,  Lizette  492,  Ophelie  493,  Pauline  494,  Lydie  495, 
Portie  496,  Fancy  1318,  Beauty  1319,  Taffy  5523,  or  Topsey 

1  Valancey  E.  Fuller,  The  St.  Lambert  Family  of  Jerseys. 


344  CATTLE 

St.  Lambert  5524."  It  is  also  claimed  with  reason  that  Stoke 
Pogis  1259  (imp.)  and  Marjoram  3239  (imp.)  should  be  regarded 
as  in  this  foundation  stock.  The  fame  of  this  family  was  first 
promoted  by  Mr.  Fuller,  who,  in  1881,  purchased  a  number  of 
St.  Lambert  Jerseys  from  William  Rolph  of  Markham,  Ontario. 
Finally  he  purchased  Mary  Ann  of  St.  Lambert  9770,  sired  by 
Stoke  Pogis  3d  2238  (imp.),  one  of  the  famous  cows  of  the 
breed,  with  a  private  record  for  a  year  of  867  pounds  I4|  ounces 
of  butter.  Stoke  Pogis  3d  proved  a  most  successful  sire,  and  a 
daughter  of  his,  Ida  of  St.  Lambert  24990,  bred  to  Bachelor  of 
St.  Lambert  4558,  produced  Ida's  Rioter  of  St.  Lambert  13656 
and  also  Exile  of  St.  Lambert  13657,  the  latter  being  credited 
with  more  tested  daughters  than  any  other  son  of  this  family. 
The  St.  Lamberts  have  had  a  great  run  of  popularity,  but  in 
recent  years  the  newer  Island-bred  families  have  superseded  this. 
However,  many  of  the  recent-day  American-bred  Jerseys  of  special 
merit  trace  directly  back  into  this  St.  Lambert  breeding.  Naturally 
this  large  family  has  broken  up  into  various  branches,  or  subfamilies. 

The  Combination  family  descends  from  Lady  Mel  429,  calved 
in  1868  and  bred  by  S.  W.  Robbins  of  Connecticut.  Her 
daughter  Lady  Mel  2d  1795,  by  Albert  44,  proved  a  remarkable 
cow,  having  in  1875  a  butter  test  of  183  pounds  in  sixty-one  days 
and  being  the  dam  of  seven  registered  bull  calves  and  four 
heifers.  The  bull  Combination  4389,  a  son  of  Lady  Mel  429, 
gives  the  name  to  this  family.  He  sired  many  producing  sons 
and  daughters,  among  which  Diploma  16219  was  most  distin- 
guished, he  siring  many  tested  cows,  including  Merry  Maiden 
64949,  champion  cow  in  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at 
Chicago  among  74  cows  from  three  different  breeds.  Brown  Bessie 
74997,  the  champion  cow  in  the  dairy  test  at  the  same  expo- 
sition, was  a  granddaughter  of  Combination  on  the  dam's  side. 
Merry  Maiden's  3d  Son  60516,  champion  of  the  breed  at  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  in  1904,  is  the  sire  of  numerous 
sons  and  daughters  in  the  register  of  merit.  This  is  one  of  the 
popular  American  Jersey  families. 

The  Tormentor  family  receives  its  name  from  the  bull  Tor- 
mentor 3533  (imp.),  he  being  sired  by  Khedive,  P.  103  and  out 
of  Angela,  F.  S.  1607,  a  daughter  of  the  noted  Coomassie  11874 


THE  JERSEY  345 

(imp.),  which  of  course  makes  Tormentor  a  member  of  the 
Coomassie  family.  Tormentor  proved  to  be  one  of  the  greatest 
Jersey  sires,  both  of  males  and  females.  In  the  days  of  private 
tests  his  daughters  reached  high  records,  and  his  sons  were 
credited  with  many  daughters  with  tests  of  note.  Tormentor 
breeding  has  received  special  distinction  through  his  son  Sophie's 
Tormentor  20883,  the  sire  of  Sophie  iQth  of  Hood  Farm  189743, 
without  question  thus  far  the  greatest  producing  cow  of  the  breed. 
Figgis  76106,  champion  Jersey  cow  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase 


FIG.  146.  Sophie  I9th  of  Hood  Farm  189748,  the  greatest  producing  Jersey  cow 
in  history.  In  seven  periods  of  lactation  she  produced  5280  pounds  of  butter  fat. 
Owner  Hood  Farm,  Lowell,  Massachusetts.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

Exposition  and  one  of  the  great  Jersey  matrons,  was  a  daughter 
of  Sophie's  Tormentor  and  mother  of  Hood  Farm  Pogis  9th 
55552,  that  up  to  January,  1918,  had  more  sons  and  daughters 
in  the  register  of  merit  than  any  other  bull  of  the  breed,  including 
three  cows  with  records  of  over  700  pounds  of  fat  each  in  a  year. 
Jacoba  Irene  146443,  celebrated  as  one  of  the  greatest  producing 
Jersey  females,  is  five  generations  removed  from  Tormentor  on 
the  dam's  side.  Among  American  Jersey  families  this  at  the 
present  day  is  a  prime  favorite. 

The  Sayda  family  has  for  founder  Sayda  4440,  by  Ned  Booth 
1501.  Her  daughter  Sayda  3d  17317  was  tenth  in  the  Jersey 
herd  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893.  This  family 
has  been  especially  promoted  by  Ayer  and  McKinney,  Meridale 


346 


CATTLE 


Farms,  Meredith,  New  York,  where  Sayda's  Queen  of  Ventnor 
168033,  by  Sayda's  Heir  45360,  made  the  great  record  of  13,280 
pounds  milk  and  890  pounds  butter  at  twelve  years  of  age.  She 
has  4  daughters  in  the  register  of  merit  that  average  11,604 
pounds  milk  and  764  pounds  butter.  Sayda's  Heir  3d  74817  (full 
brother  of  Sayda's  Queen  of  Ventnor)  up  to  January,  1919,  sired 
50  cows  and  2  bulls  recorded  in  the  register  of  merit.  The  Say  da 
and  Owl-Interest  families  are  said  to  blend  especially  well. 

The  Owl-Interest 
family  was  established 
by  R.  A.  Sibley,  Moose 
Hill  Farms,  Spen- 
cer, Massachusetts,  by 
crossing  the  bull 
SpermfieldOwl57o88 
on  daughters  of  Inter- 
ested Prince  58224 
(imp.),  and  vice  versa. 
These  two  sires  were 
purchased  in  1 900  and 
used  in  service  for 
many  years  at  Moose 


FIG.  147.  Sayda's  Queen  of  Ventnor  168033.  She 
has  the  great  record  as  a  twelve-year-old  of  produc- 
ing 13,280  pounds  of  milk  and  890  pounds  of  butter. 
Owner,  Meridale  Farms,  New  York.  From  photo- 
graph, by  courtesy  of  American  Agricufairist 


Hill  Farms.  Remark- 
able records  have  been 
produced  by  members 
of  this  family.  In  191 8 
Mr.  Sibley  published  a 

list  of  31  Owl-Interest  cows  in  his  herd,  with  official  milk  records 
ranging  from  9853  to  17,056  pounds  and  butter  fat  records  from 
595  to  993  pounds.  This  family  is  meeting  with  much  favor. 

Jersey  bulls  of  distinction  as  sires  may  be  divided  into  three 
groups :  (i)  notable  early  foundation  animals,  (2)  sires  of  private- 
test  offspring,  and  (3)  sires  of  register-of-merit  progeny,  this 
latter  group  being  of  real  significance  at  this  time. 

Important  foundation  sires  include  Albert  44,  Brown  Prince 
F.  85,  Clement  F.  61,  Colonel  76,  Jupiter  93,  Khedive,  P.  103, 
Landseer  331,  Marius  760,  Mercury  432,  Noble  592  E,  Pilot  3, 
Pope  652  E,  Rioter  746  E,  Rioter  2d  469  E,  Splendens  16, 


THE  JERSEY 


347 


Splendid  2,  St.  Helier  45,  Stoke  Pogis  1259,  Sultan  F.  58,  Victor 
Hugo  197,  Welcome  F.  166. 

Jersey  sires  of  private-test  offspring  of  note  include  the 
following:  Diploma  16219,  Exile  of  St.  Lambert  13657,  Fancy's 
Harry  9777,  Ida's  Rioter  of  St.  Lambert  13656,  King  of  St.  Lam- 
bert's King  30752,  Pedro  3187,  St.  Lambert  Boy  17408,  Stoke 
Pogis  3d  2238,  Stoke  Pogis  55th  987,  Tormentor  3533  (imp.). 

Jersey  sires  of  register-of-merit  sons  and  daughters  very 
naturally  occupy  first  consideration  to-day.  In  fact,  in  a  careful 
study  of  Jersey  pedigrees,  register-of-merit  tests  on  a  yearly 
basis  should  be  prime  factors  in  consideration.  It  is  no  longer 
necessary  or  desirable  to  give  serious  thought  to  the  private  tests, 
although  these  offer  important  evidence.  In  these  days  of  exten- 
sive official  testing  the  records  of  sires  are  constantly  changing, 
but  the  following  list  of  sires,1  compiled  by  Mr.  H.  F.  Probert, 
based  on  daughters  that  have  produced  over  10,000  pounds  of 
milk  under  register-of-merit  testing,  is  of  special  interest. 

LEADING  JERSEY  SIRES  WITH  DAUGHTERS  PRODUCING  OVER 
10,000  POUNDS  OF  MILK  A  YEAR 


TOTAL    NUM- 

NAME OF  Cow 

NUMBER 

OF 

AVERAGE 
POUNDS 

AVERAGE 
POUNDS 

AVERAGE 
AGE 

BER  OF  REGIS- 
TER OF  MERIT 

DAUGHTERS 

MILK 

FAT 

YR.,  Mo. 

DAUGHTERS 

Hood  Farm  Torono  60326  . 

27 

12,949.4 

67445 

4       9 

73 

Interested  Prince  58224 

IO 

12,384.4 

614.82 

8       o 

43 

Spermfield  Owl  57088    .     . 

25 

12,142.4 

632.62 

7        i 

49 

Raleigh's  Fairy  Boy  83767  . 

12 

11,894.2 

573-32 

5       8 

43 

Foxhall's  Jubilee  76944  .     . 

12 

11,812.8 

578.93 

5       i 

22 

Hood  Farm  Pogis  9th  55552 

12 

11,719.0 

603.50 

7       3 

78 

Royal  Majesty  79313      .     • 

I? 

11,706.4 

608.34 

6       6 

37 

Loretta's  King  65050      .     . 

8 

11,594.1 

6l2.6o 

5       3 

43 

Eminent's  Raleigh  69011    . 

9 

iMS1^ 

553-40 

7       3 

27 

Golden  Glow's  Chief  61460 

8 

11,4434 

631.69 

6           2 

27 

Average 

M 

12,021.07 

608.67 

6       3 

Total 

140 

442 

Mr.  Probert  compiled  two  groups  of  leading  sires,  the  above  being 
the  first  one.    Commenting  on  this  study  he  writes  as  follows  : 

^•Jersey  BrUletin,  March  13,  1918. 


348 


CATTLE 


Here  is  the  point  I  want  to  get  at,  that  these  bulls  that  have  the  large 
amount  of  milk  are  the  bulls  that  have  the  large  amount  of  butter  fat.  They 
travel  hand  in  hand.  Look  for  one  and  you  will  get  the  other.  I  have 
taken  the  next  bunch  of  bulls  that  have  over  four  daughters  that  have 
10,000  pounds  of  milk  to  their  credit,  and  there  are  ten  of  them  that 
have  five,  two  that  have  six,  and  two  that  have  seven,  and  they  immediately 
drop  off  in  large  production. 

A  comparison  of  native  with  Island-bred  Jersey  sires  is  of 
interest  for  the  reason  that  American  breeders  are  repeatedly 
questioning  the  productive  capacity  of  Island-bred  stock.  Mr. 
John  R.  Sibley,  a  most  successful  Jersey  breeder,  has  contributed 
much  interesting  information  on  this  subject.1  Based  on  register- 
of-merit  work,  he  gives  the  following  two  groups  of  each  of  the 
ten  leading  sires  of  native  and  imported  breeding. 

LEADING  NATIVE  JERSEY  BULLS  TO  JANUARY   i,  1918 


NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT 

AVERAGE  PRODUCTION 

OF  DAUGHTERS 

IN  POUNDS 

XT 

IN  AMES 

Number 

Number 

Per   cent 

in  R.  M. 

registered 

in  R.  M. 

Milk 

Fat 

Hood  Farm  Pogis  gih  55552 

78 

I30 

60 

7,553 

4l6 

Hood  Farm  Torono  60326  . 

73 

109 

67 

9>953 

533 

Spermfield  Owl  57088     .     . 

49 

66 

74 

10,259 

542 

Loretta's  King  65050       .     . 

43 

132 

32 

7,787 

410 

Sayda's  Heir  3d  74817    .     . 

42 

82 

5° 

8,078 

460 

Hector  Marigold  59121  .     . 

34 

118 

28 

6,530 

390 

Irene's  King  Pogis  73182    . 

3i 

I05 

3° 

7,922 

469 

Lady  Letty's  Victor  65020  . 

29 

114 

25 

7,825 

433 

Royal  Majesty  of  St.  Cloud 

29 

86 

34 

6,747 

395 

King  Sappho  King  65262    . 

28 

7i 

40 

7,973 

368 

In  the  list  of  eight  gold-medal  Jersey  bulls  up  to  November  I, 
1919,  Hood  Farm  Torono  leads  with  his  ten  highest-testing 
daughters,  averaging  8 1 1  pounds  fat  in  a  year.  Pogis  99th  of 
Hood  Farm  comes  second,  his  ten  best  daughters  averaging  805 
pounds  fat,  and  Spermfield  Owl,  third,  his  ten  best  daughters 
averaging  743  pounds  fat.  The  remaining  bulls  in  the  list  are 
St.  Mawes,  The  Imported  Jap,  Golden  Glow's  Chief,  Royal  Majesty, 
and  Oxford  You'll  Do. 

^Jersey  Bulletin,  various  issues,  especially  March  and  April,  1918. 


THE  JERSEY  349 

LEADING  IMPORTED  JERSEY  BULLS  TO  JANUARY   i,   1918 


NAMES 

Sons 
in  R.  M. 

Daughters 
inR.  M. 

AVERAGE  YEARLY  PRODUCTION 

Milk 

Fat 

Interested  Prince  58224     .     .     . 

IO 

43 

8,483 

46l 

Raleigh's  Fairy  Boy  83767      .     . 

4 

43 

9,170 

439 

Gamboge's  Knight  95698    .     .     . 

3 

40 

8,174 

444 

Royal  Majesty  79313      .... 

4 

37 

9,805 

520 

Noble  of  Oaklands  95700   .     .     . 

16 

37 

6,356 

38i 

Eminent  69631       

18 

31 

8,318 

441 

Eminent's  Raleigh  69011    .     .     . 

3 

27 

9,272 

454 

Golden  Maid's  Prince  93538  .     . 

sj 

27 

8,757 

463 

The  Imported  Jap  75265    .     .     . 

2 

25 

6,543 

39i 

Gedney  Farm  Oxford  Lad  7  1  238  . 

12 

24 

8,486 

445 

Prices  for  Jersey  cattle  have  soared  very  high,  but  as  there 
are  large  numbers  of  animals  of  the  breed  one  may  find  values 
of  all  degrees  from  high  to  low.  Many  notable  sales  have  been 
held  during  the  past  both  in  England  and  America  but  more 
especially  in  the  United  States.  When  the  Dauncey  herd  was 
dispersed  in  England  in  1867  ninety  animals  averaged  in  excess 
of  $200  each.  For  many  years  T.  S.  Cooper  of  Pennsylvania 
has  been  the  most  noted  figure  in  selling  high-class  Jerseys  at 
long  prices.  In  1882  he  astonished  the  Jersey  world  by  buying 
Pedro  3187  at  private  sale  for  $10,000.  On  May  17  and  18, 
1883,  in  the  American  Institute  building  in  New  York  City, 
Mr.  Cooper  disposed  of  119  animals  for  $113,370,  an  average 
of  $952.68  each.  The  average  for  82  cows  and  heifers  over  a 
year  old  was  $1172.68,  and  the  57  top-selling  females  averaged 
$I553-I5-  This  was  one  of  the  most  notable  sales  of  the  breed. 
On  May  30,  1900,  Mr.  Cooper  adopted  the  custom  of  holding 
an  annual  Decoration  Day  sale  for  Island-bred  cattle,  which  is 
the  most  notable  event  of  its  kind  in  Jersey  annals.  In  his  1918 
catalogue  Mr.  Cooper  states  that  in  seventeen  successive  years 
(excepting  1915,  when  no  sale  was  held)  he  sold  2082  animals, 
imported  and  home  bred,  for  a  total  of  $1,093,760,  or  an  aver- 
age of  $525  per  head.  No  other  man  has  brought  so  many  noted 
animals  from  the  Island  as  has  Mr.  Cooper,  and  among  these 
the  following  are  given  as  topping  the  sales  for  the  year  indicated  : 


350 


CATTLE 


Champion  Flying  Fox  61441,  $7500  in  1902  ;  Eminent  69631, 
$10,000  in  1905;  Stockwell  75264,  $11,500  in  1907;  Viola's 
Golden  Jolly  79314,  $11,000  in  1909;  Sultana's  Oxford  Lad 
76506,  $11,100  in  1910;  Noble  of  Oaklands  95700,  $15,000 
in  1911,  and  his  dam,  Lady  Viola  238439,  brought  $7000.  On 
May  2,  1918,  Mr.  Edmond  Butler  of  Mt.  Kisco,  New  York,  held  a 
sale,  where  60  Jerseys  brought  a  total  of  $60,105,  an  average  of 
$1001.91.  On  this  occasion  the  cow  Briar  Flower,  P.  18952 
H.  C.  sold  for  $10,000  to  William  Ross  Proctor  of  New  York, 

who  in  1 9 1 6  purchased 
the  imported  bull 
Golden  Fern's  Noble 
145762  for  $25,000. 
Four  very  notable  Jer- 
sey sales  were  held  in 
1919.  On  June  16 
Edward  Cary,  Carlton, 
Oregon,  sold  34  head 
for  $36,145,  an  aver- 
age of  $1063.09.  In 
June  T.  S.  Cooper  sold 
91  head  for  $82,050, 
an  average  of  $901.70. 


FIG.  148.  Lady  Aldan,  P.  8470  H.  C.,  one  of  the 
most  noted  cows  on  Jersey.  Winner  of  the  highest 
honors  and  dam  of  Golden  Fern's  Noble,  the  $25,000 
bull.  Owned  by  J.  A.  Perree,  Oaklands,  Jersey.  Pho- 
tographed at  eighteen  years  of  age  by  the  author 


Edmond  Butler,  on 
August  4,  sold  47  head 
for  $158,250,  an  av- 
erage of  $3367.02. 

All  records  were  broken  in  this  sale,  for  the  bull  Sybil's  Gamboge 
(P.  5260  H.  C.)  sold  to  L.  V.  Walkley  for  $65,000.  At  this  sale 
1 5  daughters  of  this  bull  sold  for  $44,600  (an  average  of  $2973.33), 
one  of  which,  Bagot's  Gamboge  Crocus  383430,  brought  $10,100. 
On  August  5,  C.  F.  Sturhahns,  Hartford,  Connecticut,  sold  32 
head  for  $56,125,  an  average  of  $1753.91.  On  June  I,  1918,  at 
the  Hood  Farm  sale,  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  the  aged  cow  Sophie's 
Agnes  296759,  with  the  breed  record  for  butter-fat  production, 
sold  for  $10,099  to  Ayredale  Stock  Farm,  Maine.  Thus  far 
in  the  twentieth  century  the  Jersey  has  steadily  grown  in  popu- 
larity, and  each  year  the  total  number  of  animals  sold  at  auction 


THE  JERSEY  351 

runs  into  considerable  figures.  In  1917,  according  to  the  American 
Jersey  Cattle  Club,  81  auction  sales  of  pure-bred  Jerseys  held 
in  the  United  States,  including  3997  head,  brought  a  total  of 
$630,417,  or  an  average  of  $158  each.  In  1916  in  81  sales  4337 
head  averaged  $154.42.  With  a  large  number  of  enthusiastic 
men  breeding  Jerseys,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  securing  satisfactory 
prices  for  superior  animals. 

The  distribution  of  the  Jersey  is  world-wide.  Many  herds  are 
found  especially  in  England,  Canada,  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
and  the  United  States.  In  the  exportation  which  has  taken  place 
from  the  island  of  Jersey  in  the  past  one  hundred  years  the 
cattle  have  been  taken  to  many  parts  of  the  world,  where  they 
have  adapted  themselves  very  well  to  local  conditions,  all  things 
considered.  Denmark,  for  example,  has  made  considerable  use  of 
the  Jersey,  though  it  is  quite  a  secondary  breed  in  that  country. 
The  United  States  is  the  great  field  of  development  of  the  breed, 
and  according  to  the  secretary  of  the  American  Jersey  Cattle 
Club,  during  the  year  ending  March  31,  1918,  there  were  regis- 
tered 44,887  Jerseys  on  the  books  of  the  club,  while  35,884 
transfers  of  ownership  of  individual  animals  were  made  during 
this  period.  The  Jersey  has  a  widespread  distribution  in  the 
United  States,  but  is  bred  in  largest  numbers  in  the  following 
states,  much  in  the  order  given :  Ohio,  Texas,  Indiana,  Mis- 
souri, Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Illinois,  and  New  York.  These  states 
are  given  this  rating,  as  based  on  record  of  business  in  the 
American  Jersey  Cattle  Club.  In  the  Southern  States  the  Jersey 
has  long  been  a  special  favorite  and  greatly  outnumbers  other 
dairy-type  breeds.  In  New  England  the  Jersey  also  has  a  strong 
hold  on  popular  favor. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Jersey  cattle  have  long  existed  in 
America  and  on  Jersey  Island.  The  Royal  Jersey  Agricultural 
Society,  founded  in  1833,  assumed  supervision  of  the  breed  on  the 
Island  and  in  1866  published  the  first  Island  herdbook,  since 
which  date  twenty-three  volumes  have  been  issued  to  1917.  "The 
American  Jersey  Herdbook,"  published  under  the  direction  of  the 
Association  of  Breeders  of  Thoroughbred  Neat  Stock,  with  head- 
quarters in  Massachusetts,  was  the  first  organization  to  promote 
Jersey  interests  in  America,  and  published  six  herdbooks,  the  last 


352 


CATTLE 


appearing  in  1878.  The  English  Jersey  Cattle  Society  was  organ- 
ized in  the  seventies  and  up  to  1917  had  published  twenty-nine 
volumes.  The  Maine  State  Pure  Blood  Jersey  Cattle  Association, 
chartered  in  1875,  published  its  first  herdbook  in  1876  and 
Volume  VIII  in  1898.  The  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  was 
organized  in  1868  and  in  1871  published  its  first  volume;  since 


FIG.  149.  Lady  Viola  238437  (imp.).  First  prize  over  Jersey  and  winner  of 
the  Theatre  Cup  in  1905.  Dam  of  Noble  of  Oaklands  (sold  for  $15,000)  and 
Viola's  Golden  Jolly  (sold  for  $13,000).  She  was  imported  by  T.  S.  Cooper  and 
bought  in  his  sale  for  $7500  by  Elmendorf  Farm,  Lexington,  Kentucky.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 

that  time,  up  to  January,  1919,  ninety-five  volumes  had  been 
issued,  showing  the  registration  by  the  club  of  409,000  females 
and  162,000  males.  There  have  been  also  published  a  number  of 
volumes  of  the  register  of  merit.  On  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  founding  of  the  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  there  was  a 
membership  of  726.  In  1903  the  New  Zealand  Jersey  Cattle 
Breeders'  Association  published  its  first  herdbook,  and  fifteen 
volumes  have  appeared  since  that  date.  Local  Jersey  cattle  clubs 
for  the  promotion  of  the  breed  have  been  organized  in  many 


THE  JERSEY  353 

states.  In  Ohio  there  is  the  Ohio  Jersey  Cattle  Club,  with  about 
218  members  in  1917,  and  in  addition  ten  local  clubs  scattered 
over  the  state.  Wisconsin  has  twenty  local  Jersey  clubs. 

Polled  Jersey  cattle  have  been  bred  in  America  for  many  years, 
and  in  1895  the  American  Polled  Jersey  Cattle  Company  was 
incorporated  at  Springfield,  Ohio.  In  1919,  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  company,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  American  Polled 
Jersey  Cattle  Club.  Originally  polled  Jerseys  are  supposed  to 
trace  back  to  a  polled  cow  of  unknown  breeding  named  Funston, 
calved  about  1880  and  the  foundation  of  the  polled  type.  Later 
pure-bred  polled  Jerseys  were  found,  so  that  to-day  most  if  not 
all  of  the  cattle  found  in  the  polled  register  are  hornless  and 
meet  all  the  requirements  of  the  breed  except  the  horns.  About 
twelve  hundred  polled  Jerseys  have  been  registered,  but  no  polled 
herdbook  has  been  thus  far  published.  Some  very  excellent  cattle 
of  this  class  have  been  bred,  but  polled  Jerseys  have  not  met 
with  much  public  favor. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 

The  native  home  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  is  in  Holland,  or, 
more  correctly,  the  Netherlands.  This  is  one  of  the  smallest 
independent  states  of  Europe,  containing  12,741  square  miles, 
with  a  population  of  about  six  millions,  or  about  470  persons  to 
the  square  mile.  There  are  eleven  provinces,  but  those  of  Fries- 
land,  Drenthe,  North  Holland,  and  South  Holland  are  more 
especially  engaged  in  the  keeping  of  dairy  cattle.  Holland  lies 
between  latitudes  50°  and  5 3°. and  is  bounded  on  the  west  and 
north  by  the  North  Sea.  Much  of  Holland  has  been  reclaimed 
from  the  sea,  and  as  this  land  lies  below  sea  level  the  water  is 
held  back  by  dikes.  This  is  the  flattest  part  of  the  continent  of 
Europe.  Along  the  sea  front,  especially  in  North  and  South 
Holland,  the  land  surface  in  places  is  twenty  feet  below  sea  level, 
while  the  average  height  of  the  entire  country  is  only  about 
thirty  feet  above  sea  level.  The  following  interesting  comment  is 
given  regarding  the  topography  of  Holland  J : 

Three  features,  the  dunes,  dikes  and  polders,  characterize  the  north  and 
south  belt  nearest  to  the  sea.  The  dunes  stretching  along  the  coast  were  formed 
by  the  winds  and  sea,  which  heaped  up  the  ocean  sands  into  rows  of  hills  from 
20  to  60  feet  apart  and  from  35  to  200  feet  high.  Wherever  they  front  the 
coast  they  are  adequate  protection  against  the  sea.  These  sand  ridges  and  hills 
are  sparsely  wooded,  but  are  saved  from  disintegration  by  natural  or  cultivated 
growth  of  plants.  Few  parts  of  them  are  tilled,  but  the  sandy  regions  behind 
them  are  carefully  cultivated.  The  dikes  are  gigantic  artificial  embankments  of 
earth  faced  with  stone  or  protected  by  stakes.  They  guard  the  country  against  the 
sea  at  the  places  where  there  are  no  dunes.  The  largest  is  the  Helder  Dike.  There 
are  also  smaller  dikes,  as  a  precaution  against  floods,  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine 
and  other  streams.  Inside  the  line  of  dunes  and  dikes  are  great  numbers  of  pol- 
ders, which  are  areas  of  land  inclosed  by  dikes  that  not  only  protect  them  from 
floods,  but  also  render  it  possible  to  pump  out  the  water  from  within  the  inclosure. 

Holland  is  a  country  of  canals,  and  in  some  regions  these  are 
found  at  four  different  elevations,  the  water  being  pumped  from  the 

J"  The  Netherlands,"  New  International  Encyclopaedia,  Vol.  XIV  (1912),  p.  396. 

354 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


355 


lowest  to  the  next  higher  level,  and  so  on,  until  carried  over  the 
highest  dike  to  the  sea.  The  canals  range  from  small  ones  useful 
for  drainage  and  divisions  between  farms  to  those  of  considerable 
size  and  depth,  on  which  extensive  traffic  takes  place.  The  damp 
climate  is  neither  hot  in  summer  nor  severely  cold  in  winter,  the 


FIG.  150.   A  map  of  Holland  and  Belgium  showing  the  provinces,  the  important 
cities,  water  courses,  etc. 

average  temperature  being  about  50  degrees.  About  one  third  of 
Holland  is  devoted  to  pasturage,  and  extensive  market  gardens  are 
found  near  the  principal  cities  of  Amsterdam  and  Rotterdam.  On 
thousands  of  acres  about  Haarlem  tulips,  hyacinths,  etc.  are  grown. 
The  origin  of  Dutch  cattle  is  very  obscure.  It  has  been  claimed 
that  for  over  a  thousand  years  the  people  of  Holland  have  kept 
cattle  that  have  been  famous  for  the  production  of  milk,  butter,  and 


356 


CATTLE 


cheese.  It  has  been  assumed  that  these  cattle  are  descended  from 
the  prehistoric  Giant  Ox  (Bos  taurus  primigenius}.  Early  writings 
refer  to  Dutch  cattle  as  being  large,  more  or  less  white  in  color, 
and  great  milk  producers.  Tacitus,  the  Roman  writer,  states  that 
in  the  year  A.  D.  28,  Drusus,  the  father  of  Germanicus,  imposed 
a  tax  of  hides  of  oxen  upon  the  Friesians,  which  hides  should 
come  up  to  a  certain  standard.  Tacitus;  says  Storer,1  implies  that 
this  was  a  difficult  matter  and  very  burdensome  to  the  Friesians, 
but  the  passage  clearly  shows  that  the  cattle  of  Friesland  were  then 

of  great  size.    During 

the  course  of  time  there 
have  undoubtedly  been 
considerable  changes 
in  the  cattle  of  Holland. 
Different  authorities 
bring  this  out.  These 
changes  were  due  to 
crossing  varieties  or 
breeds  and  to  great 
epidemics.  Storer  Com- 
ments on  the  fact  that 
in  the  numerous  paint- 
FIG.  151.  Dutch  farmhouse  with  stable  on  the  right.  ings  of  cattle  in  the 
Photographed  near  Leeuwarden  by  the  author  Dutch  and  Belgian  art 

galleries,  made  by  such 

noted  artists  as  Paul  Potter,  Rubens,  Cuyp,  Teniers,  Vandevelde, 
and  others,  "  the  Dutch  cow  of  from  200  to  300  years  since  was 
totally  different,  both  in  color  and  form,  from  what  she  is  now." 
The  author  has  been  much  interested  in  examining  many  of 
these  paintings  in  European  galleries  and  can  indorse  the  state- 
ment by  Storer  that  black  cattle  are  rare,  black  and  white  are 
still  more  rare,  mouse-colored  ones  are  not  uncommon,  neither 
are  white  ones  with  red  ears ;  reds  of  different  shades,  with  some 
white,  are  quite  common,  while  the  familiar  red  body  and  white 
face  of  the  Hereford  is  not  uncommon.  The  picture  of  Paul 
Potter's  bull  (see  page  253)  at  The  Hague  brings  out  strikingly 
these  color  features.  In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century 

1  Reverend  John  Storer,  Wild  White  Cattle  of  Great  Britain  (n.  d.),  p.  33- 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


357 


the  cattle  of  the  provinces  of  North  and  South  Holland,  according 
to  Hobson,1  were  mostly  red  and  white  and  very  well  known  in 
England  as  the  Dutch  breed.  In  the  other  provinces  of  the 
Netherlands  "  the  cattle  were  the  short  horned  Dutch  breed, 
the  color  being  generally  black  or  black  and  white." 

The  present-day  breeds  of  cattle  in  Holland  are  very  few.    The 
all-predominating  one  is  that  of  Friesland  and  North  and  South 


FIG.  152.   The  interior  of  a  Dutch  cow  stable  in  summer.    Around  the  stalls  on 

the  left  are  placed  blue  dishes.    The  walls  are  painted  in  bright  colors.    During 

the  season  when  the  cattle  are  on  pasture  this  is  used  as  a  family  dining  room. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

Holland,  black  and  white  in  color,  such  as  we  are  so  familiar 
with  in  America.  In  the  province  of  Groningen  is  a  breed  beefy 
in  type,  black  of  body,  but  with  more  or  less  white  head,  legs, 
and  tail,  suggesting  an  Aberdeen- Angus-Hereford  cross.  One 
sees  red-and-white  cattle  in  Holland  that,  excepting  for  color, 
are  identical  with  the  common  black-and-white  sort.  However, 
in  eastern  Holland  there  are  red-and-white  cattle,  rather  beefy 
in  character  and  forming  a  group  by  themselves. 

1  British  Holstein  Herdbook,  Vol.  I. 


358  CATTLE 

The  origin  of  the  name  "  Holstein-Friesian  "  becomes  pertinent 
at  this  point.  A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  cattle  were  brought  to 
this  country  under  the  names  of  "  Holstein  "  and  "  Dutch  Friesian," 
being  sold  as  different  breeds  and  championed  by  different 
breeding  associations.  The  name  "  Holstein  "  has  no  application 
in  Holland,  but  refers  to  a  small  province  in  Germany  between 
the  Baltic  and  North  Seas,  about  a  hundred  miles  east  of  the 
Holland  boundary,  where  black-and-white  Dutch  cattle  are 
found.  The  word  "  Friesian  "  is  derived  from  the  province  of 
Friesland,  and  the  breed  in  America  might  with  propriety  be 
called  by  that  name  alone,  for  no  such  breed  name  as  "  Holstein- 
Friesian  "  exists  in  Holland.  Inasmuch  as  all  the  cattle  imported 
to  America  from  Holland  were  essentially  the  same,  the  breeders 
and  importers,  representing  two  distinct  Dutch  cattle  associations 
in  this  country,  met  in  joint  session  in  1885  and  united  their 
interests  and  agreed  to  call  the  breed  Holstein-Friesian.  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  while  the  use  of  the  word  "  Holstein  "  is 
illogical,  in  1909  the  British  Holstein  Cattle  Society  organized 
but  later  adopted  the  name  "  Friesian  "  in  place  of  "  Holstein,"  to 
conform  to  Dutch  usage.  The  word  "  Holstein,"  now  so  universally 
used  in  America,  is  as  much  a  misfit  as  "  Holstein-Friesian."  "  The 
Netherland  Rundvee  Stambock  of  Holland,"  says  the  London  Live 
Stock  Journal  (February  28,  1919),  ''has  requested  the  Holstein- 
Friesian  Association  of  America  to  drop  the  word  '  Holstein '  from 
its  hyphenated  compromise  name.  The  Yankee  body  has  refused 
the  request.  We  are  more  up  to  date  on  this  side  apparently." 

The  introduction  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  to  America  is 
associated  with  the  early  Dutch  settlement  of  New  York.  Mr.  W. 
W.  Chenery  of  Belmont,  Massachusetts,  states  *  that  the  Holstein 
or  Dutch  cattle  were  introduced  into  this  country  about  1625  by  the 
West  India  Company,  and  subsequently  other  importations  were 
made  by  the  early  Dutch  settlers  in  New  York  State.  Late  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  when  the  Mohawk  valley  of  that  state  was 
settled  by  the  Dutch,  they  probably  brought  cattle  with  them 
from  Holland.  In  1795  the  Holland  Land  Company  sent  two 
bulls  and  six  cows  to  John  Linklaen  of  Cazenovia,  New  York, 
who  was  an  agent  in  charge  of  lands  of  the  company  there.  As 

*A  Private  Holstein  or  Dutch  Herd  Book,  3d  ed.  (1869),  p.  5. 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


359 


described  by  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  village,  "  the  cows 
were  of  the  size  of  oxen,  their  colors  clear  black  and  white  in 
large  patches ;  very  handsome  bodies  and  straight  limbed ; 
horns  middling  in  size  but  gracefully  set ;  their  necks  were 
seemingly  too  slender  to  carry  their  heads."  In  1810  a  bull  and 
two  cows  were  imported  by  Consul  William  Jarvis  and  taken  to 
his  farm  at  Weathersfield,  Vermont.  Between  the  years  1820  and 
1825  Herman  LeRoy,  a  New  York  City  merchant,  imported  some 


FIG.  1 53.  The  Kuperus  herd  near  Leeuwarden,  Holland.  One  of  the  famous  Dutch 
herds.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

cattle  from  Holland,  which  he  placed  on  a  farm  near  New  York 
City,  and  later,  between  1827  and  1829,  some  of  them  were  sent 
to  the  farm  of  his  son,  Edward  A.  Le  Roy,  in  the  Genesee  valley  in 
New  York.  Lewis  F.  Allen  states  1  that  he  saw  these  cattle  in  1 833, 
and  that  "  they  were  large,  well-spread  cattle,  black  and  white  in 
color,  and  remarkable  for  their  uncommon  yield  of  milk."  These 
LeRoy  cattle  were  later  crossed  with  Shorthorns,  and  the  pure 
breed  thus  lost.  The  first  importation  of  importance,  having  the 
maintenance  of  pure  blood  lines  in  mind,  was  that  of  Mr.  Chenery, 
who  reports  as  follows  on  his  introduction  of  these  cattle2: 

1  American  Cattle  (1879),  P-  l68- 

e  A  Private  Holstein  or  Dutch  Herd  Book,  3d  ed.,  1869. 


360  CATTLE 

The  first  of  these  importations  was  made  in  1852,  and  consisted  of  a  single 
cow.  The  extraordinary  good  qualities  possessed  by  that  cow  led  in  1857  to 
a  further  importation  of  a  bull  and  two  cows,  and  in  1859  to  four  more  cows. 
In  consequence  of  a  disease  which  occurred  in  1859-1860,  these  cattle  and  all 
their  full  blood  descendants,  with  the  single  exception  of  a  young  bull,  were  de- 
stroyed under  a  law  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  the  autumn 
of  1 86 1  another  importation  of  a  bull  and  four  cows  was  made  from  North  Hol- 
land. These  animals,  with  their  progeny,  comprise  the  stock  of  cattle  known 
in  this  country  as  the  "  Chenery  importation  of  Holstein  or  Dutch  Cattle." 

Mr.  Chenery  states  that  the  original  animals  were  procured  from 
among  the  best  breeders  of  the  Beemster  and  Purmerend,  in  the 


FIG.  1 54.  A  scene  in  the  cattle  market  at  Leeuwarden,  Holland.    From  photograph 

by  the  author 

province  of  North  Holland.  The  next  importation  of  cattle  from 
Holland  was  that  of  Gerrit  S.  Miller  of  Peterboro,  New  York, 
in  1869,  of  a  bull  and  three  cows,  purchased  by  his  brother 
Dudley,  at  Weener,  East  Friesland.  This  importation  was  most 
important,  for  the  three  cows,  Crown  Princess  6,  Dowager  7,  and 
Fraulein  9,  proved  to  be  unusually  fine  individuals  and  producers 
and  had  a  marked  influence  in  establishing  the  breed  in  America. 
Following  the  Miller  importation,  in  the  early  seventies  impor- 
tation from  Holland  became  active,  and  large  numbers  of  cattle 
were  brought  to  America.  Prominent  among  the  importers  late 
in  the  nineteenth  century  were  Smith  and  Powell,  T.  G.  Yeomans, 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  361 

Henry  Stevens,  and  Solomon  Hoxie,  all  of  central  New  York, 
and  Edgar  Huidekoper  of  Pennsylvania.  Among  the  great  cows 
imported  in  these  early  days  were  Netherland  Queen  414  H. 
H.  B.  and  Johanna  344  H.  H.  B.,  imported  in  1878  ;  and  Mercedes 
723  H.  H.  B.,  Empress  539  H.  H.  B.,  Ondine  828  H.  H.  B.,  and 
Aaggie  901  H.  H.  B.,  imported  in  1879.  For  many  years  there 
has  been  no  importation  from  Holland,  due  to  the  existence  of 
continuous  foot-and-mouth  disease  over  much  of  the  continent 
of  Europe,  the  United  States  having  placed  an  embargo  against 
European  cattle  outside  of  Great  Britain. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  are  distinct  and 
peculiar  to  this  breed.  In  general  conformation  there  is  consider- 
able variation,  ranging  from  animals  of  a  marked  beef  type  to  the 
extreme  dairy  type.  This  variation  is  recognized  by  the  best  author- 
ities on  the  breed  and  has  been  officially  described  as  follows l : 

There  are  three  definite  types,  described  as  the  milk  and  beef  form,  the 
milk  form,  and  the  beef  and  milk  form.  The  average  form  of  the  breed,  and 
that  which  conscientious  breeders  are  directing  their  efforts  to  maintain  and 
improve,  is  the  milk  and  beef  form.  Mr.  S.  Hoxie  thus  admirably  refers  to 
the  milk  and  beef  type  of  the  breed :  "It  is  especially  strong  in  all  vital 
particulars.  The  bones  are  fine  compared  with  size,  and  the  chine  broad  and 
strong  compared  with  the  high  and  sharp  chine  of  the  extreme  milk  form. 
The  loin  and  hips  are  broad  and  smooth,  and  the  rump  high  and  level 
compared  with  the  angularity  usually  shown  in  the  milk  form.  The  twist  is 
roomy  and  the  thighs  and  hocks  well  apart.  Passing  forward  the  shoulders 
are  smoother  and  more  compact  than  in  the  milk  form,  but  of  lighter  weight 
than  in  the  beef  form.  The  brisket  is  not  so  wide  and  low  as  in  the  beef  form, 
and  the  chest  is  not  so  deep,  but  the  width  of  the  beef  form  through  at  the 
heart  is  closely  retained.  In  the  milk  form  the  abdomen  is  usually  swung  low, 
and  the  ribs  are  steep,  but  in  the  milk  and  beef  form  the  ribs  are  wider  sprung 
and  the  abdomen  more  trimly  held  up  though  no  less  capacious.  The  general 
appearance  of  the  bull  is  strongly  masculine,  but  that  of  the  cow  is  no  less 
feminine  than  in  the  milk  form. 

In  the  American  show  ring  the  best-qualified  judges  discriminate 
against  the  beef-and-milk  type  and  seek  for  more  smoothness 
and  finish  than  is  found  in  the  extreme  milk  type.  Holstein- 
Friesian  breeders  have  been  so  influenced  by  pedigrees  that 
many  bulls  have  been  used  in  service  that  from  the  standpoint 

1  F.  L.  Houghton,  True  Type  of  the  Holstein.    Undated  leaflet. 


362  CATTLE 

of  type  were  anything  but  attractive ;  in  fact,  a  ring  of  a  dozen 
aged  bulls  of  the  breed  will  no  doubt  show  more  variation  in 
form  than  will  an  equal  number  of  males  of  any  other  breed. 
In  general  appearance  animals  of  the  breed  are  large,  often  have 
great  udders  and  milk  veins,  are  black  and  white  in  color,  and 
show  remarkable  milk-producing  capacity.  The  head  is  usually 
lean,  tends  to  be  somewhat  long,  with  straight  nose  and  dark 
mottled  or  flesh-colored  muzzle,  is  wide  between  the  eyes,  and 
carries  a  white  horn  usually  black  tipped.  The  horns  should  be 
short,  gradually  taper,  and  curve  out  forward  and  inward  and 
slightly  upward.  A  coarse  horn  is  not  common.  The  neck  of 
the  male  is  usually  rather  large,  with  a  distinct  arch,  while  that 
of  the  female  is  moderately  slender.  The  shoulder  is  frequently 
heavy  and  prominent,  with  withers  of  moderate  thickness,  being 
neither  fine  nor  thick.  The  body  is  large  with  long,  well-sprung 
ribs,  showing  great  feeding  capacity.  The  hips  are  often  prom- 
inent, the  rump  long  and  often  more  or  less  steep.  The  thighs 
incline  to  be  somewhat  thick,  with  more  quarter  than  obtains 
with  other  dairy  breeds.  The  udder  is  frequently  very  large, 
and  with  maturity  shows  a  pendant  form  after  the  shape  of  a 
letter  U,  with  the  teats  placed  at  the  corners.  With  this  form 
the  fore  udder  lacks  extension.  The  discriminating  breeder  is 
seeking  more  and  more  to  produce  an  udder  with  ideal  front 
development  that  holds  up  close  to  the  belly  and  is  not  unduly 
pendant.  The  milk  veins  average  large,  but  are  not  longer 
or  more  tortuous  than  in  other  breeds.  In  quality  the  Holstein- 
Friesian  is  too  frequently  deficient,  as  shown  in  coarse  hair, 
large  joints,  and  thick  skin  lacking  in  mellowness. 

The  color  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  is  almost  universally  black 
and  white  in  patches,  varying  in  degree,  however,  some  animals 
being  mostly  white  and  others  largely  black.  At  the  present 
time  a  preponderance  of  white  is  most  popular,  and  occasionally 
one  will  see  animals  entirely  white  excepting  for  very  slight 
black  spots.  White  by  many  is  considered  an  evidence  of  quality. 
DeKol  2d,  imported  in  1885,  noted  as  one  of  the  early  great 
butter-fat  producing  dams  of  the  breed,  was  largely  white,  and 
through  her  sons,  and  especially  Hengerveld  DeKol,  white  has 
undoubtedly  become  more  of  a  feature  than  formerly.  Red  and 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


363 


white,  as  previously  referred  to,  occurs  in  Dutch  herds,  and  from 
time  to  time  calves  of  this  color  marking  are  dropped  in  herds 
of  black-and-white  cattle  in  America,  this  being  probably  a  form 
of  reversion.  The  subject  of  color  markings  has  also  received 
formal  action  by  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  America," 
the  executive  committee  in  May,  1910,  adopting  the  following 
report,  which  thereby  became  a  rule  of  the  association  relative  to 
colors  barring  animals  from  registration,  "(i)  Solid  black.  (2) 
Solid  white.  (3)  Black  switch.  (4)  Solid  black  with  white  on 
belly  only.  (5)  Black 
on  legs,  beginning  at 
feet  and  extending  to 
knees  and  hocks.  (6) 
Black  on  legs,  begin- 
ning at  feet  and  ex- 
tending to  knees,  with 
white  interspersed. 
(7)  Gray,  or  mixed 
black  and  white  pre- 
vailing. (8)  Patches 
of  other  colors  than 
black  and  white  — 
red,  brown,  dun,  etc. 
(9)  Red  and  white." 

The    size     of    the 
Holstein-Friesian  puts 

it  among  the  largest  breeds  of  cattle.  At  birth  calves  usually  weigh 
from  90  to  100  pounds,  sometimes  reaching  the  extreme  weight  of 
125  pounds.  The  Advanced  Registry  standard  of  the  breed  speci- 
fies weights  of  at  least  1 800  pounds  for  the  bulls  and  1000  pounds 
for  the  cows,  at  maturity.  B.  W.  Potter,  following  an  investiga- 
tion of  weights  of  60  large  record  cows  tested  between  1894  and 
1906,  reports  on  only  13  weighing  more  than  1500  pounds  each 
and  only  27  surpassing  the  i4OO-pound  mark.  Only  9  weighed 
less  than  1200  pounds,  and  the  average  weight  of  the  60  was 
1383  pounds.  Of  the  25  bulls  not  one  weighed  less  than  1800 
pounds  and  only  5  less  than  2000  pounds,  while  only  3  weighed 
over  2400  pounds.  The  average  weight  of  the  bulls  was  2164 


FIG.  155.  Hengerveld  DeKol  23102,  a  Holstein- 
Friesian  bull  that  sired  many  sons  and  daughters 
of  great  merit.  Owned  by  A.  A.  Cortelyou  of 
New  Jersey.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the 
American  Agriculturist 


364 


CATTLE 


pounds.  Mature  bulls  are  often  very  heavy.  Kate  Spray's  Paul 
DeKol,  when  owned  by  the  Ohio  State  University,  attained  a 
weight  of  2600  pounds  and  never  was  fat.  The  bull  Constantyn 
2040  H.  H.  B.,  when  six  years  old,  weighed  27 1 5  pounds.  Nether- 
land  Prince  716  H.  H.  B.,  the  most  famous  bull  imported  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  at  eight  years  weighed  2050  pounds.  Parthenia  2d's 
Sir  Henry  12366,  one  of  the  great  show  bulls  of  his  day,  weighed 
2500.  A  reasonable  and  moderate  weight  for  the  aged  bull  ranges 

from  1900  to  2000 
pounds.  Like  the 
males,  the  females  of 
the  breed  sometimes 
attain  great  size.  The 
cow  Rosa  Bonheur  5th 
11227  weighed  as  high 
as  1850  pounds  while 
owned  by  the  Michigan 
Agricultural  College, 
while  Belle  Sarcastic 
23°39>  owned  by  the 
same  college,  weighed 
1900  pounds  when  fat. 
These  cows,  however, 
are  extreme  cases. 
Among  noted  cows  of 
the  breed  at  maturity,  Pietertje  2d  3273  H.  H.  B.  weighed  1365 
pounds;  DeKol  2d  734  H.  H.  B.,  -1240;  Pauline  Paul  2199 
H.  H.  B.,  1450;  Aaggie  901  H.  H.  B.,  1375;  Echo  121  H. 
H.  B.,  1920;  Princess  of  Wayne  954  H.  H.  B.,  1370;  Segis 
Fayne  Johanna  114648,  1450  pounds  normally,  1900  fat;  Fin- 
derne  Hollingen  Fayne  144551,  1450;  College  Belle  Wayne, 
1980;  and  Ormsby  Jane  Segis  Aaggie  150943,  1500  pounds. 
For  mature  cows  a  weight  of  1250  to  1400  is  acceptable,  some 
families  tending  to  weigh  heavier  than  others. 

Measurements  of  Holstein-Friesian  cows  have  been  taken  to 
some  extent,  especially  in  connection  with  Advanced  Registry  rec- 
ords. While  no  pertinent  conclusions  have  thus  far  been  drawn 
from  measurements  of  this  kind,  the  figures  secured  indicate 


FIG.  156.  Mercedes  Julip's  Pietertje's  Paul  29830, 
a  Holstein-Friesian  bull  in  two-year  form  and  of 
excellent  type.  Owned  by  H.  L.  Bronson,  Cort- 
land,  New  York.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 
American  Agriculturist 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  365 

something  of  the  body  proportions.    The  average  measurements 
of  cows  in  Volume  IV  of  the  Advanced  Registry  are  as  follows : 

Height,  perpendicular,  at  shoulders    .     .     .     .     .     .     5 1.8  in. 

Height,  perpendicular,  at  hips 53.0  in. 

Length  of  body,  extreme  point  shoulder  to  point  rump  64.9  in. 
Length  of  rump,  front  hips  to  extreme  point  rump    .     2 1 .4  in. 

Width  of  hips 2 1 .9  in. 

Girth  of  heart  at  smallest  chest  circumference       .     .     75.6  in. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  are  not  so  pro- 
nounced as  with  some  other  breeds.  Young  males  very  commonly 
are  slow  in  developing  sex  character,  the  crest  and  burly  head 
not  appearing  much  prior  to  six  months  or  more  of  age.  The 
heifers  also  are  slow  in  showing  the  maternal  characteristics. 
However,  with  maturity  sex  character  becomes  amply  manifest. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  to  environment  is 
admirable.  It  seems  at  home  in  both  north  and  south,  tem- 
perature not  being  an  important  factor.  However,  being  a  gross 
feeder,  the  mature  individual  of  this  breed  should  be  provided 
with  ample  pasture  or  other  food  in  summer.  Also,  being  in  the 
large,  heavy  class,  the  Holstein-Friesian  is  best  suited  to  fertile 
lowlands,  rather  than  to  a  rough  and  hilly  country  where  food  is 
more  or  less  scarce  and  laborious  effort  is  required  in  grazing. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  is  probably  compa- 
rable with  most  breeds  of  cattle,  but  is  not  especially  marked. 
Many  cows  of  the  breed  have  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age  and  have 
been  persistent  producers,  leaving  large  families.  But  little  pub- 
licity, however,  has  been  given  to  this  feature,  and  one.  finds 
practically  no  reference  to  the  subject  in  the  literature  relative 
to  the  breed. 

The  disposition  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  is  naturally  quiet  and 
peaceable.  In  their  native  home  in  Holland  the  cattle  are  brought 
in  close  touch  with  the  people,  in  most  cases  occupying  stables 
under  the  same  roof  with  the  family  dwelling,  and  are  constantly 
handled  in  an  individual  way.  All  of  the  conditions  promote 
domesticity  and  quiet  disposition.  The  bulls,  in  common  with 
those  of  other  dairy  breeds,  are  often  nervous  and  belligerent 
and  require  careful  handling.  The  cows,  however,  are  naturally 
very  quiet  and  easily  handled. 


366 


CATTLE 


The  prepotency  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  is  quite  marked.  The 
distinctive  color  markings,  head  characteristics,  and  type  of  udder 
are  strongly  reproduced  in  the  pure-bred  herd.  Males  of  pure 
ancestry,  used  in  grade  herds,  in  due  season  give  it  the  essen- 
tial features  of  the  pure-bred  herd.  There  are  many  thousands 
of  superior  grade  Holstein-Friesian  cows  in  America,  largely  the 


FIG.  157.    Carnation  King  Sylvia  231405,  a  Holstein-Friesian  bull  calf,  by  King 

Echo  Sylvia  Johanna  203504,  out  of  May  Echo  Sylvia  223725.   Bred  by  A.  C.  Hardy 

of  Canada.    Sold  at  auction  in  1918  for  $106,000  to  Carnation  Stock  Farms  of 

Wisconsin  and  Washington.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owners 

result  of  the  use  of  pure-bred  sires.  In  1918  the  author  saw 
grade  Holstein-Friesian  cows  in  public  sale  that  were  of  such 
marked  excellence  as  to  change  hands  for  over  $250  per  head. 

The  grade  or  crossbred  Holstein-Friesian  may  be  an  improve- 
ment over  the  dam  if  a  pure-bred  bull  be  used.  The  wisdom  of 
this  breeding,  however,  depends  on  the  purpose.  If  for  milk 
production,  by  means  of  pure-bred  bulls  a  high-grade,  very  prof- 
itable herd  may  be  produced.  In  the  vicinity  of  large  cities  are 
to  be  found  herds  of  high  grades  that  produce  large  yields  of 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  367 

milk  for  the  retail  trade.  By  selecting  sires  coming  from  families 
yielding  milk  superior  in  quality  as  well  as  quantity,  more  favor- 
able results  may  be  expected  than  if  no  care  in  selection  is 
practiced.  Owing  to  their  size,  the  bulls  should  not  be  mated  to 
animals  of  smaller  breed  type. 

Holstein-Friesian  oxen  are  in  favor  in  some  localities  where 
cattle  are  employed  in  draft  work.  Mr.  James  D.  Avery  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, who  has  long  used  them,  testifies  highly  to  the  worth 
of  the  breed  for  this  purpose.  A  pure-bred  ox  of  his,  named 
Jerry,  at  nine  years  old  weighed  4365  pounds,  stood  17!  hands 
high,  was  i  o  feet  3  inches  in  girth  and  1 5  feet  1 1  inches  long. 

Advanced  Registry  Official  testing  of  Holstein-Friesians  was 
established  in  1898  for  the  purpose  of  placing  the  tests  of  milk 
and  butter-fat  production  on  an  impartial  basis.  The  system  pro- 
vides for  supervision  of  the  testing  by  representatives  of  either 
the  state  agricultural  college  or  the  state  experiment  station, 
owners  of  the  cows  paying  for  the  testing.  Two  classes  of  tests 
are  made,  —  official,  where  a  special  tester  supervises  all  milkings 
and  tests  for  butter  fat ;  and  semiofficial  yearly  records,  where  the 
milk  for  at  least  two  consecutive  days  each  month  is  weighed  and 
tested  for  fat  by  the  inspector,  the  daily  milk  records  being 
kept  by  the  owner  of  the  cow.  The  Holstein-Friesian  Association 
has  especially  emphasized  short-period  testing,  notably  seven  and 
thirty  days.  These  short-time  tests  are  not  fair,  for  the  reason 
that  many  men  specializing  in  such  testing  dry  off  their  cows 
prior  to  the  test,  make  them  as  fat  as  possible,  and  thus  get  an 
abnormal  fat  test  through  milking  off  the  fat  from  the  body.  Cows 
in  high  flesh  yield  a  milk  much  richer  in  fat  than  is  the  case 
under  ordinary  conditions.  Yearly  semiofficial  tests  meet  with 
favor  and  more  nearly  show  the  capacity  of  the  cow.  In  Advanced 
Registry  Official  (A.  R.  O.)  testing  cows  o£  this  breed,  being  heavy 
yielders,  are  usually  milked  three  or  four  times  a  day.  In  Holland 
milking  three  times  daily  is  a  common  custom.  During  the  year 
1917  there  were  9388  cows  and  heifers  tested  for  seven  days  or 
more.  Up  to  1919  nearly  68,000  animals  had  been  admitted  to 
the  Advanced  Registry. 

The  requirements  for  entry  in  the  Holstein-Friesian  Advanced 
Registry  are  as  follows  :  If  the  cow  calves  at  two  years  of  age  or 


368  CATTLE 

under,  to  qualify  she  must  produce  7.2  pounds  of  fat  in  seven 
consecutive  days.  Calving  at  three  years,  the  cow  must  produce 
8.8  pounds  of  fat  in  seven  days.  Calving  at  four  years,  the  cow  must 
produce  10.4  pounds  of  fat  in  seven  days.  Calving  at  five  years 
or  over,  the  cow  must  produce  12.0  pounds  of  fat  in  seven  days. 
If  the  cow  calves  at  a  period  between  either  of  these  ages,  every 
day  of  increased  age  adds  to  the  requirements  of  the  year  .00439 
of  a  pound  of  fat.  Only  bulls  having  four  or  more  A.  R.  O. 


FIG.  158.    Cattle  dealers  in  the  market  at  Purmerend,  Holland.    Dutch  cattle  are 

blanketed  in  the  spring  when  first  put  on  pasture,  after  the  style  shown  in  the 

picture.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

daughters  are  eligible  for  entry  in  the  Advanced  Registry.  An 
A.  R.  O.  daughter  is  one  that  has  been  entered  in  the  Advanced 
Registry  on  an  official  record. 

The  Holstein-Friesian  cow  as  a  producer  of  milk,  so  far  as 
quantity  is  concerned,  leads  all  breeds  and  occupies  a  class  by 
herself.  Wonderful  reports  have  been  published  since  1885,  when 
private  tests  received  much  attention.  At  that  time  Clothilde  1 308 
H.  H.  B.  was  credited  with  a  year's  milk  record  of  26,021  pounds 
2  ounces.  Following  that  record,  Pietertje  2d  3273  H.  H.  B. 
made  a  private  test  of  30,318  pounds  8  ounces  of  milk,  a  record 
that  stood  unbeaten  for  many  years.  Semiofficial  testing  has  pro- 
duced many  remarkable  yearly  records,  of  which  the  following  are 
most  conspicuous  up  to  June,  1919. 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FR1ESIAN  369 

SEMIOFFICIAL  YEARLY  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  MILK  RECORDS 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

AGE 

YEAR  TESTED 

MILK  RECORD 

Tilly  Alcartra  123459  

9 

1918-1919 

33,424.8  lb. 

Lutscke  Vale  Cornucopia  1  10505  

8 

1915-1916 

31,243.4  lb. 

Winnie  Korndyke  Cornucopia  DeKol  101449 

9 

1916-1917 

31,034.2  lb. 

Raphaella  Johanna  Aaggie  3d  185125    .     .     . 

6 

1918-1919 

30,637.0  lb. 

Zarilda  Clothilde  3d  DeKol  133840   .... 

6 

1918-1919 

30,427.0  lb. 

Jemima  Johanna  of  Riverside  

1918-1919 

30,373.0  lb. 

Queen  Piebe  Mercedes  154610      

4 

1915-1916 

30,230.2  lb. 

Lindale  Bonnie  Pauline  177521      

5 

1917-1918 

30,024.1  lb. 

Royalton  DeKol  Violet  86460  

10 

1916-1917 

29,949.6  lb. 

Creamelle  Vale  733  CJ7       . 

7 

191  I—I9I  2 

2Q  CQI.4  lb. 

/ 

*v»>y*—  t 

In  1917  the  Advanced  Registry  records  of  the  Holstein-Friesian 
Association  showed  that  3550  cows  and  heifers  had  produced  an 
average  yield  of  14,622.7  pounds  of  milk  each  in  semiofficial  tests. 
Some  remarkable  yields  are  recorded,  additional  to  the  above. 
Years  ago  the  cow  Shadeland  Boon  2d  8892  H.H.B.  was  credited 
with  a  private  record  of  I22i  pounds  of  milk  in  one  day.  As  late 
as  1914  fifty-three  cows  of  the  breed  were  credited  with  producing 
each  above  700  pounds  of  milk  in  seven  days.  The  following  are 
some  of  the  more  notable  large  daily  records  since  official  testing 
began :.  Riverside  Sadie  DeKol  Burke  70708,  a  California  cow, 
in  seven  days  produced  an  average  of  128.87  pounds  per  day; 
during  thirty  days  she  averaged  123.5  pounds.  Lutscke  Vale 
Cornucopia  110505,  another  California  cow,  in  six  months  pro- 
duced 18,275  pounds  of  milk,  or  a  daily  average  of  over  100 
pounds.  College  Belle  Wayne  98497,  owned  by  the  South  Dakota 
State  College,  produced  126.7  pounds  in  one  day.  DeKol  Queen 
La  Polka  2d  72325,  a  New  York  cow,  produced  124  pounds  in  a 
day,  while  May  Echo  Sylvia  223725  produced  152.1  pounds  in 
one  day  and  12,898  pounds  in  one  hundred  days.  Tilly  Alcartra 
123459  is  the  world's  champion  cow  for  total  production  of  six 
years,  during  which  time  she  produced  156,776  pounds  milk. 
Many  cows  of  the  breed  have  produced  from  75  to  90  pounds 
in  a  day,  and  a  fair  Holstein-Friesian  cow  should  easily  produce 
from  7000  to  9000  pounds  in  a  year.  According  to  official  reports 
up  to  1919,  148  cows  of  the  breed  have  records  of  over  24,000 
pounds  milk  a  year  each. 


370 


CATTLE 


The  Holstein-Friesian  as  a  butter-fat  producer  takes  high  rank 
on  account  of  the  large  yield  of  milk,  which  usually  tests  from 
3  to  4  per  cent  butter  fat.  Some  families  tend  to  produce  milk 
poor  in  fat,  while  others  show  a  greater  amount.  Breeders  are 
persistently  putting  a  premium  on  cows  testing  high  in  fat,  and 


FIQ.  159.  Pietertje  Maid  Ormsby  78051,  by  Sir  Ormsby  Hengerveld  DeKol  31212, 

a  Holstein-Friesian  cow  owned  by  J.  B.  Irwin,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota.    In  1911 

world's  official  3O-day  record  of   145.66  pounds  80   per   cent   butter.    Dam  of 

Sir  Pietertje  Ormsby  Mercedes.    See  Fig.  163 

the  breed  is  gradually  reaching  higher  levels  as  a  result.  The 
fat  globules  in  this  milk  are  of  the  smaller  class  and  do  not  cream 
by  gravity  as  rapidly  as  do  Jersey  or  Guernsey  milk.  In  total 
butter-fat  or  butter  production,  however,  very  large  records  have 
been  made.  Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  seven-day 
tests.  In  1917  M.  H,  Gardner,  superintendent  of  Advanced 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


371 


Registry,    gave   some   very   interesting   information1   relative   to 
production,  and  more  especially  concerning  butter-fat  records. 

To  May  i,  1917,  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association  has  entered  3750  bulls 
and  52,500  cows  in  its  Advanced  Registry.  .  .  .  Last  winter  the  cow  Segis 
Fayne  Johanna  produced  in  seven  days  730.8  pounds  milk  and  40.546  pounds 
fat,  and  the  breed  can  show  22  cows  with  seven  day  production  above  32 
pounds  fat.  Half  of  the  cows  tested  are  heifers  with  first  or  second  calves, 
yet  the  seven  day  average  for  all  ages  shows  408  pounds  milk  containing 
14.4  pounds  fat.  The  average  per  cent  of  fat  shown  is  3.53.  The  long  time 
test  was  added  to  the  system  about  seven  years  ago,  and  Duchess  Skylark 
Ormsby  has  shown  1205  pounds  of  fat  from  27,761.7  pounds  of  milk  in  one 
year.  .  .  .  The  breed  can  show  sixteen  cows  with  production  of  more  than 
1000  pounds  of  fat  in  365  days.  There  are  72  cows  so  far  entered  producing 
more  than  850  pounds  of  fat. 

In  March,  1919,  the  Canadian  cow  Rola  Mercena  DeKol  30313 
beat  Segis  Fayne  Johanna's  record  by  producing  41.54  pounds 
of  fat  in  seven  days  and  160.27  pounds  in  thirty  days.  Up  to 
May  1 6,  1918,  there  were  thirty-five  4O-pound  cows  reported. 
Following  are  the  leading  butter-fat  record  cows  of  the  breed  for 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  in  semiofficial  tests. 


LEADING  SEMIOFFICIAL  YEARLY  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  BUTTER-FAT 

RECORDS 


NAME  AND  NUMBER  Cow 

AGE 

YEAR  TESTED 

RECORD 

Duchess  Skylark  Ormsby  124514   .     .     . 

5 

1914-1915 

1205.09  lb. 

Finderne  Pride  Johanna  Rue  121083  •     • 

5 

1914-1915 

1176.47  lb. 

Finderne  Hollingen  Fayne  144551      .     . 

3 

1916-1917 

1116.05  lb- 

Queen  Piebe  Mercedes  154610  .... 

4 

1915-1916 

1111.56  lb. 

Emeretta  Korndyke  DeKol  189227     .     . 

5 

1918-1919 

1077.55  lb- 

Ona  Button  DeKol  115939     

6 

1915-1916 

1076.44  lb. 

Maple  Crest  Pontiac  Application  141158 

6 

1915-1916 

1075.44  lb. 

Champion  Dora  Korndyke  134002      .     . 

8 

1918-1919 

1052.75  lb. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  1890  Pauline  Paul  2199  H.  H.B. 
was  credited  with  a  yearly  record  in  private  test  of  1153  pounds 
1 5 1  ounces  of  salted  butter,  and  for  eighteen  years  no  official 
record  equaled  it  by  a  dairy  cow  of  any  breed.  Yet  in  191 1-1912 

^Breeders'  Gazette,  July  19,  1917. 


372 


CATTLE 


Banostine  Belle  DeKol  90441  produced  1058.34  pounds  fat,  or 
an  estimated  record  of  1322.9  pounds  of  butter.  In  May,  1919, 
Mr.  Gardner,  superintendent  of  Advanced  Registry  tests  of  the 
Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  America,  stated  in  Hoard's 
Dairyman  that  twenty-six  cows  of  the  breed  up  to  March  had 
records  of  producing  over  1000  pounds  of  fat  each  within  a  year. 
Holstein-Friesian  milk  for  cheese  is  very  extensively  used  in 
Holland,  where  large  quantities  of  Edam,  Gouda,  and  other 
cheeses  are  made  and  shipped  all  over  the  world.  This  milk 

contains  a  large  per- 
centage of  solids  not 
fat  and  so  makes  a 
very  nutritious  cheese, 
though  its  food  value 
would  be  increased  by 
a  greater  percentage 
of  fat  in  the  milk. 

Holstein-Friesians 
as  beef  producers  do 
not  rank  well  in  Amer- 
ica, any  more  than  do 
the  other  dairy  breeds. 
There  is  too  much 
waste  in  killing,  with 


FIG.  1 60.  Banostine  Belle  DeKol  90441,  a  Holstein- 
Friesian  cow  owned  by  Dimmick  Brothers  of 
Ohio  that  made  a  world's  record  in  1911-1912  of 
1058.34  pounds  butter  fat  in  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  days.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 


Dimmick  Brothers  too    much    bone   and 

intestinal  fat.    Young 

Holsteins,  however,  make  excellent  veal,  and  the  author  has 
rarely  eaten  veal  in  America  equal  to  that  commonly  served  in 
hotels  in  Holland.  In  valuations  placed  on  Holstein  beef  fed  at 
the  Iowa  State  College,  experts  rated  it  eighth  among  nine  breeds, 
the  Jersey  coming  last.  Holstein-Friesians  will  gain  in  weight  but 
will  not  produce  the  desired  quality  of  beef  to  suit  the  buyers. 

Holstein-Friesian  families  of  prominence.  The  leading  families 
of  the  breed,  as  known  to-day,  trace  back  to  cows  of  notable  merit, 
both  as  producers  of  milk  and  of  offspring.  There  has  been  much 
mixing  or  crossing  of  family  lines,  and  one  finds  comparatively 
little  breeding  that  has  been  kept  within  a  family.  Branch  or  sub- 
families also  occur  within  the  main  family,  some  breeders  especially 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  373 

exploiting  these  as  families  of  their  own  production,  which  is 
more  or  less  true.  The  following  families  are  of  special  note : 

The  Aaggie  family  is  descended  from  Aaggie  901  H.  H.  B., 
imported  in  1879  by  Smith  and  Powell  of  Syracuse,  New  York,  and 
sired  by  Rooker,  one  of  the  noted  bulls  in  Holland.  Aaggie 
was  credited  with  producing  89!  pounds  of  milk  in  a  day  and 
18,005  pounds  in  a  year.  Her  daughter  Aaggie  2d,  by  Jacob  2d, 
made  a  yearly  record  of  20,763  pounds  of  milk.  In  1888  Smith 
and  Powell  stated  in  their  catalogue  that  "  the  records  made  by 
Aaggie  cows  have  done  more  to  give  the  Holstein-Friesian  breed 
its  present  reputation  than  those  of  any  other  family."  Eighteen 
cows  of  the  family  were  then  credited  with  an  average  for  one 
year  of  16,059  pounds  of  milk,  and  19  Aaggie  cows  in  the  Smith 
and  Powell  herd  averaged  18  pounds  2-|-  ounces  butter  in  seven 
days.  The  noted  Ormsby  Jane  Segis  Aaggie  150943, -the  first 
44-pound  A.  R.  O.  heifer  (whose  son  King  Ormsby  Jane  Rag 
Apple  sold  for  $53,200),  traces  through  her  line  of  female  descent 
to  old  Aaggie.  So  also  does  Sir  Veeman  Hengerveld  36158,  a 
grandson  of  Paul  DeKol  14634  (with  84  A.  R.  O.  daughters),  trace 
to  Aaggie  on  the  sire's  side.  Aaggie  Cornucopia  Pauline  48426, 
the  first  34-pound  cow,  was  seven  generations  descended  from 
Aaggie.  This  family  is  not  so  popular  as  it  was  some  years  ago, 
yet  many  noted  animals  of  to-day  trace  back  to  old  Aaggie. 

The  Clothilde  family  traces  to  Clothilde  1308  H.  H.  B., 
imported  as  a  yearling  in  1880  by  Smith  and  Powell.  In  1887 
Clothilde  won  the  sweepstakes  prize  as  the  best  butter  cow  of  any 
breed  at  the  New  York  Dairy  and  Cattle  Show.  At  six  years  of 
age  she  had  a  record  of  88|  pounds  of  milk  in  a  day  and  26,021 
pounds  2  ounces  in  a  year.  Clothilde  had  eight  daughters  and 
no  sons.  Her  daughter  Clothilde  2d  1451  is  credited  with  30* 
pounds  butter  in  seven  days  and  23,600  pounds  milk  in  a  year. 
Pontiac  Clothilde  DeKol  2d  69991,  with  an  A.  R.  O.  record 
of  1271.60  pounds  80  per  cent  butter  in  a  year,  combines  the 
blood  of  the  DeKol  and  Clothilde  families.  In  recent  years  no 
very  great  attention  has  been  centered  on  this  family,  although  it 
is  regarded  with  favor. 

The  DeKol  family  is  descended  from  DeKol  2d  734  H.  H.  B., 
calved  in  1884  and  imported  from  Holland  in  1885  by  Lord 


374 


CATTLE 


and  Son  of  New  York.  DeKol  2d  was  sired  by  William  3d  190 
N.  H.  B.  and  had  for  dam  DeKol  6245  H.  H.  B.  DeKol  2d 
became  famous  first  in  the  herd  of  J.  B.  Dutcher  and  then  in 
that  of  Henry  Stevens  and  Son,  who  bought  her  a  ten-year-old 
cow  from  the  former.  Between  1886  and  1900  she  produced 
12  calves  —  8  bulls  and  4  heifers.  Without  doubt  no  other  cow 
of  the  breed  ever  produced  so  distinguished  a  family,  and  her 
sons  and  grandsons  have  contributed  in  a  remarkable  way  to  the 

production  of  high- 
testing  progeny.  In 
fact  -  DeKol  2d  was 
the  principal  medium 
through  which  impor- 
tant improvement  in 
the  butter-fat  content 
of  Holstein-Friesian 
milk  was  secured.  De- 
Kol 2d's  Paul  DeKol 
20735,  DeKol  2d's 
Butter  Boy  2 1 366, 
DeKol  2d's  Butter 
Boy  2d  22989,  and 


FIG.  161.  Pontiac  Clothilde  DeKol  2d  69991,  a 
Holstein-Friesian  cow  that  in  the  ownership  of 
Stevens  Brothers  and  Company  of  New  York  made 
a  world's  record  of  1017  pounds  fat  in  a  year.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 


DeKol  2d's  Butter 
Boy  3d  23260  stand 
out  as  four  of  the  great 
bulls  of  the  breed. 
These  sons  are  not  far  removed  from  present-day  animals  of 
note.  Hengerveld  DeKol  23102,  sire  of  116  A.  R.  O.  daughters 
and  53  A.  R.  O.  sons,  is  a  son  of  DeKol  2d's  Butter  Boy.  Sir 
Veeman  Hengerveld  36158,  with  84  A.  R.  O.  daughters,  is  a 
great  grandson  of  DeKol  2d's  Prince  2767,  a  son  of  DeKol  2d. 
Paul  Beet's  DeKol  22235,  sire  of  IO5  A.  R.  O.  daughters,  was  a 
grandson  of  DeKol  2d.  DeKol  Burke  22991,  sire  of  66  A.  R.  O. 
daughters,  was  a  son  of  DeKol  2d's  Butter  Boy.  In  1918  DeKol 
2d's  Butter  Boy  3d  was  sire  of  118  A.  R.  O.  daughters  and 
95  A.  R.  O.  sons,  among  which  were  many  of  the  great  cows  of 
the  breed.  The  DeKols  are  a  large,  rugged  type  of  cattle,  and 
their  blood  has  been  widely  used  with  other  families. 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  375 

. 

The  Johanna  family  has  its  foundation  in  the  cow  Johanna 
344  H.  H.  B.  She  was  brought  to  America  from  Holland  by 
Gerrit  S.  Miller  of  New  York.  At  ten  years  of  age  she  produced 
88  pounds  of  milk  in  a  day  and  2407!  pounds  in  a  month.  She 
was  purchased  by  Gillett  and  Son  of  Wisconsin  in  her  ten-year  form. 
Through  her  daughters  Johanna  4th  2129  and  Johanna  5th  9343 
this  family  made  a  strong  producing  record.  The  blood  of  the 
Johanna  family  in  Mr.  Gillett's  herd  mingled  to  great  advantage 
with  the  Colantha  family;  and  Colantha  4th's  Johanna  48577, 
long  the  world's-record  cow  in  yearly  butter-fat  production 
(998.26  pounds),  was  of  the  Johanna  family  on  the  sire's  side  and 
a  granddaughter  of  Colantha  6714  H.  H.  B.  on  the  dam's  side. 
Colantha  Johanna  Lad  32481,  with  106  A.  R.  O.  daughters,  is 
a  son  of  Colantha  4th's  Johanna.  Sir  Johanna  DeKol  25467, 
with  35  A.  R.  O.  daughters  (including  Johanna  DeKol  Van 
Beers  75131,  with  a  40.1  pounds  A.  R.  O.  record),  is  by 
Sir  Johanna  23446,  sire  of  Colantha  4th's  Johanna. 

The  Korndyke  family  descends  from  Belle  Korndyke  13913, 
calved  in  1888  and  bred  by  S.  H.  Blanchard  of  New  York. 
When  eleven  years  old  she  made  an  A.  R.  O.  record  of  25.77 
pounds  of  butter  in  seven  days.  She  and  her  daughter  Korndyke 
Queen  40580  were  purchased  by  Henry  Stevens  and  Son  of 
New  York,  in  whose  hands  this  family  became  famous.  Between 
1890  and  1906  Belle  Korndyke  dropped  eleven  calves,  six  of 
which  were  sons.  From  these  sons  and  daughters  came  a  large 
number  of  A.  R.  O.  sons  and  daughters.  Her  daughter  Belle 
DeKol  13913  is  the  dam  of  Pontiac  Korndyke  25982,  sire  of  139 
A.  R.  O.  daughters,  and  also  of  King  of  the  Pontiacs  39037,  with 
204  A.  R.  O.  daughters  to  his  credit  and  1 13  A.  R.  O.  sons,  the 
premier  sire  of  the  breed.  In  1908  Stevens  Brothers-Hastings 
Company  wrote 1  of  Pontiac  Korndyke  :  "  The  cross  formed  by  mat- 
ing this  bull  with  the  daughters  of  Hengerveld  DeKol  seems  to 
be  an  especially  fortunate  one,  and  is  producing  some  of  the 
best  record  heifers  ever  officially  tested."  Pontiac  Korndyke  is 
sire  of  Pontiac  Clothilde  DeKol  2d  69991,  with  a  year's  record 
of  1271.6  pounds  butter,  and  of  Pontiac  Rag  Apple  56980,  with  a 
record  of  3 1 .62  pounds  butter  in  seven  days,  noted  also  as  selling 

1  Historical  booklet  on  Brookside  Herd. 


3;6  CATTLE 

for  $8000.  Rag  Apple  Korndyke  8th  73416,  that  sold  for 
$25,000  at  public  sale,  is  a  grandson  of  Pontiac  Korndyke  on 
both  sides.  At  the  present  day  the  Korndyke  family  is  at  the 
top  wave  of  popularity,  largely  due  to  the  remarkable  prepotency 
of  Pontiac  Korndyke  and  his  son  King  of  the  Pontiacs.  The 
name  "  Pontiac  "  is  derived  from  the  town  of  Pontiac,  Michigan, 
where  for  many  years  a  large  herd  of  superior  Holstein-Friesian 
cattle  has  been  kept  at  the  Eastern  Michigan  Insane  Asylum, 
Pontiac  Korndyke  being  a  product  of  that  herd. 

The  Netherland  family  was  introduced  to  America  by  Smith 
and  Powell,  who  regard  the  foundation  as  tracing  back  to  Hol- 
land, to  the  bull  Schreuder,  the  cow  Netherland  Dowager  2632 
H.  H.  B.  (which  they  imported),  and  Gert  Met.  Netherland 
Dowager  had  a  milk  record  of  I7,i6o|  pounds  of  milk  in  a  year. 
She  was  dam  of  Schemmel,  sire  of  Netherland  Prince  716 
H.  H.  B.,  calved  in  1880  and  imported  that  year.  His  dam 
Lady  Netherland  1263  H.  H.  B.,  a  great  show  and  producing 
cow,  is  really  the  foundation  of  this  family.  Netherland  Prince 
was  an  animal  of  uncommon  beauty  and  one  of  the  great  sires 
of  the  breed  in  his  time.  The  Lakeside  Model  family  is  an 
offshoot  of  the  Netherland  established  by  E.  A.  Powell  of  New 
York,  long  a  distinguished  breeder  and  former  part  owner  of 
Netherland  Prince.  This  branch  possesses  great  uniformity  and 
much  excellence.  In  discussing  the  establishment  of  this  family 
Mr.  Powell  pays  the  following  tribute  to  Netherland  Prince 1 : 

Not  only  did  he  establish  a  finer,  more  uniform,  breedy  class,  with  better 
shaped  udders  and  top  lines,  but  a  class  of  larger  uniform  production,  as  figures 
of  the  Blue  Book  will  show,  viz.,  that  of  the  first  99  cows  of  the  breed  to  make 
30  pounds  or  more  butter  in  a  week,  96  —  all  but  three  —  trace  their  pedigrees 
to  Netherland  Prince,  and  of  the  29  cows  given  in  the  last  Blue  Book, 
which  have  made  35  pounds  or  more,  all  but  one  trace  to  him,  including  all 
above  40  pounds. 

The  Netherland  and  DeKol  families  have  combined  to  produce 
many  noted  animals. 

The  Pietertje  family  descends  from  Pietertje  2d3273H.H.B., 
calved  in  1877  and  imported  in  1882  by  Alonzo  Bradley  of 
Massachusetts.  Pietertje  2d  was  a  remarkable  cow  and  had  a 

1  From  a  pamphlet  descriptive  of  this  family,  published  about  1916. 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN 


377 


record  of  112  pounds  7  ounces  of  milk  in  a  day,  with  an  un- 
official record  of  30,3181  pounds  of  milk  in  a  year.  Pietertje 
2d  was  the  dam  of  Pietertje  3d  11244  and  Pietertje  4th  11245., 
and,  like  their  dam,  great  milkers.  The  Pietertje  family,  not- 
withstanding its  heavy  milking  inheritance,  did  not  attain  the 
most  widespread  popularity,  due  perhaps  to  some  extent  to  the 


FIG.  162.  Spring  Brook  Bess  Burke  98734,  one  of  the  great  Holstein-Friesian 
dams.  She  has  a  record  of  25,227  pounds  milk  and  1094.16  pounds  of  80  per  cent 
butter  and  has  three  daughters  with  records  of  above  33  pounds  of  80  per  cent 
estimated  butter  in  seven  days  and  1000  pounds  in  one  year.  From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  the  owners,  the  E.  C.  Schroeder  Farms,  Moorhead,  Minnesota 

low  per  cent  of  fat  in  the  milk,  although  Pietertje  blood 
blended  well  with  the  DeKols  and  others  rich  in  fat  production. 
The  Pauline  Paul  family  descends  from  Pauline  Paul  2199 
H.  H.  B.,  calved  in  1882  and  owned  by  J.  B.  Dutcher  &  Son 
of  New  York.  This  cow  was  sired  by  Climax  204  H.  H.  B.,  and 
her  dam  was  Johanna  Paul  677  H.  H.  B.,  credited  with  70  pounds 
of  milk  in  one  day.  For  years  Pauline  Paul  was  the  wonder  cow 
of  the  world  because  in  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  she 
made  the  unofficial  record  of  18,699  pounds  of  milk,  from  which 
was  churned  1153  pounds  I5|  ounces  of  butter.  Pauline  Paul 
secured  her  greatest  fame  through  a  son,  Paul  DeKol  14634, 


3/8  CATTLE 

sired  by  DeKol  2d's  Prince  2767,  a  son  of  DeKol  2d.  Paul 
DeKol  sired  24  A.  R.  O.  sons  and  38  daughters,  and  these  in 
turn  proved  very  productive.  Sir  Veeman  Hengerveld  36158 
(with  84  A.  R.  O.  daughters)  and  Paul  Beets  DeKol  22235 
(with  104  A.  R.  O.  daughters)  are  grandsons  of  Paul  DeKol 
on  the  sire's  side.  One  of  the  greatest  cows  of  the  breed, 
Aaggie  Cornucopia  Pauline  48426,  had  for  sire  a  son  of  Paul 
DeKol  and  DeKol  2d.  This  family  has  long  been  one  of  the 
more  popular  ones  of  the  breed  and  has  been  widely  used  on 
other  blood  lines. 

The  Segis  family,  one  of  the  most  popular  to-day,  has  for  its 
foundation  cow  Segis  Inka  36617,  with  an  A.  R.  O.  record  of 
28.04  pounds  butter  and  dam  of  five  daughters  and  two  sons  with 
official  records.  Through  her  daughter  A.  &  G.  Inka  McKinley 
55 163  we  have  her  grandson  King  Segis  36168,  with  87  A.  R.  O. 
daughters  and  82  A.  R.  O.  sons,  one  of  the  most  popular  sires  of 
recent  years.  One  of  his  sons,  King  Segis  Pontiac  44444,  with 
many  A.  R.  O.  daughters  and  sons,  is  sire  of  King  Segis  Pontiac 
Alcartra  79602,  known  as  the  $50,000  bull,  and  with  many  high- 
class  A.  R.  O.  progeny.  Segis  Fayne  Johanna  114648,  the  first 
so-called  5O-pound  cow,  is  by  King  Fayne  Segis  46767,  a  son  of 
King  Segis.  Finderne  Holingen  Fayne  144551,  with  a  record  of 
1,116.05  pounds  fat  in  a  year,  was  sired  by  a  son  of  King  Fayne 
Segis.  This  family  is  noted  for  the  large  number  of  individuals 
producing  milk  of  superior  fat  test. 

The  Glista  family  descends  from  Glista  7857,  the  foundress  of 
the  entire  Cornell  University  herd  of  Holstein-Friesians.  This  cow 
was  very  ordinary  and  as  a  three-year-old  produced  but  188  pounds 
of  butter  fat  in  a  year.  Three  of  her  daughters,  Glista  2d,  Glista  3d, 
and  Glista  4th,  varied  in  merit,  but  Glista  4th  had  a  record  of 
274  pounds  of  "butter  fat  in  a  year.  With  the  use  of  superior 
bulls  the  herd  steadily  improved.  Glista  Ernestine  is  of  the  sixth 
generation  and  is  one  of  the  only  five  cows  that  have  exceeded 
30  pounds  80  per  cent  butter  in  five  different  seven-day  official 
tests.  Her  total  milk  yield  for  eight  years  is  111,182.9  pounds, 
an  average  of  13,897  pounds.  Her  butter-fat  average  for  eight 
years  is  510.62  pounds.  She  is  the  dam  of  eight  calves;  four 
of  her  oldest  daughters  have  creditable  A.  R.  O.  records,  and 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  379 

two  sons  head  first-class  herds.    This  is  rather  a  local  but  very 
interesting  family  that  has  been  little  affected  by  outside  influences. 
The  ten  leading  Holstein-Friesian  sires,  based  on  Volume  XXIX 
of  the  Advanced  Registry  records,  are  the  following : 

NOTE.    T.  D.  =  tested  daughters ;   P.  S.  =  producing  sons;    P.  D.  =  proved  daughters. 

1.  King  of  the  Pontiacs  39037     .  .  .  T.  D.  236  P.S.  145  P.D.  68 

2.  Pontiac  Korndyke  25982     .     .  .  .  T.  D.  147  P.S.  no  P.D.  90 

3.  Lord  Netherland  DeKol  22187  .  .  T.  D.  127  P.S.  37  P.D.  157 

4.  DeKol  2d's  Butter  Boy  3d  23260  .  .  T.  D.  118  P.S.  95  P.D.  85 

5.  Hengerveld  DeKol  23102   .     .  .  .  T.  D.  116  P.S.  66  P.D.  85 

6.  Colantha  Johanna  Lad  32481    .  .  .  T.  D.  109  P.S.  86  P.D.  52 

7.  Homestead    Girl    DeKol    Sarcastic  Lad 

32558 T.  D.  107  P.S.  44  P.D.  61 

8.  Aaggie  Cornucopia  Johanna  Lad  32554  T.  D.  106  P.S.  73  P.D.  79 

9.  Paul  Beets  DeKol  22235     •     •     •     •  T.  D.  105  P.S.  49  P.D.  96 
10.  Sir  Veeman  Hengerveld  361 58      .     .  T.  D.  101  P.S.  10  P.D.  51 

In  addition  to  the  above  bulls,  there  are  many  sires  famous 
for  the  great  records  of  their  descendants.  Sir  Pietertje  Ormsby 
Mercedes  44931  has  a  wonderful  record  for  his  daughters,  22 
having  yearly  records  averaging  over  1000  pounds  of  8o-per-cent 
butter,  and  8  having  records  ranging  from  1023  pounds  to  1389 
pounds  in  a  year.  King  Pontiac  Champion  53418  is  not  only 
the  sire  of  101  A.  R.  O.  daughters  but  n  have  made  yearly 
records  averaging  23,082.6  pounds  milk  and  923.57  pounds  butter. 
King  Segis  Pontiac  Count  93909  sired  1 1  daughters  with  average 
yearly  records  of  22,661  pounds  milk  and  977.73  pounds  butter. 
Pontiac  Aaggie  Korndyke  38291  has  6  daughters  that  average 
1214.9  pounds  8o-per-cent  butter. 

Prices  for  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  have  reached  figures  that 
surpass  those  of  all  other  breeds  of  dairy  or  beef  stock.  As  a  rule, 
good  examples  of  producing  cows  will  command  a  satisfactory 
price.  For  many  years  $500  has  not  been  regarded  as  a  phe- 
nomenal price  for  a  good,  plain-bred  cow  of  the  breed.  Prior  to 
the  World  War  some  remarkable  figures  had  been  reached.  In 
1907  D.  W.  Field  of  Massachusetts  paid  $8000  for  the  four-year- 
old  cow  Pontiac  Rag  Apple  56980,  and  in  1911  Mr.  Field  sold 
the  bull  calf  Aaggie  Cornucopia  Sir  Colantha  102991,  a  son  of 


380  CATTLE 

Aaggie  Cornucopia  Pauline48426,  toW.  H.  Miner  of  New  York  for 
$  10,000.  The  same  year,  at  an  auction  sale  at  Syracuse,  New  York, 
John  Arfman  of  New  York  bought  the  calf  King  Segis  Pontiac 
Alcartra  79602  for  $10,000.  Two  years  later  Lawson  Farm  of 
New  York  paid  Mr.  Arfman  $25,000  for  a  half  interest  in  this 
bull.  In  1914,  at  auction  in  Chicago,  the  bull  King  Segis  Pontiac 
44444  was  sold  to  a  company  for  $20,000.  Since  this  latter  date 
prices  for  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  have  risen  in  a  remarkable  degree. 


FIG.  163.  Sir  Pietertje  Ormsby  Mercedes  44931,  one  of  the  greatest  Holstein- 
Friesian  sires.  Up  to  1919  twenty-two  of  his  daughters  had  made  yearly  records 
which  averaged  over  1000  pounds  8o-per-cent  estimated  butter,  and  eight  had 
records  ranging  from  1023  to  1389  pounds.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the 
owners,  E.  C.  Schroeder  Farms,  Moorhead,  Minnesota 

At  the  sale  of  E.  H.  Dollar  on  January  5  and  6,  1915,  at  Syracuse, 
New  York,  172  head  sold  for  $149,990,  an  average  of  $872,  on 
which  occasion  the  bull  Rag  Apple  Korndyke  8th  73416,  a  grand- 
%on  of  Pontiac  Rag  Apple,  sold  for  $2 5,000  to  Oliver  Cabana,  Jr., 
of  New  York.  Later,  in  June,  1 9 1 7,  in  auction  at  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, a  son  of  Rag  Apple  Korndyke  8th,  named  King  Ormsby 
Jane  Rag  Apple,  consigned  by  Pine  Grove  Farms  of  New  York, 
sold  to  D.  W.  Field  Farm  Company  of  Massachusetts  for  $53,200. 
At  this  time  the  dam  of  this  calf  —  Ormsby  Jane  Segis  Aaggie 
1 5°943  —  had  "  the  world's  butter  records  over  all  ages  and  breeds 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  381 

from  30  to  100  days,"  being  the  only  cow  to  have  made  two  seven- 
day  records  averaging  over  45  pounds  each.  The  high  price  for  a 
cow  was  also  made  at  this  sale,  Wandermeere  Belle  Hengerveld 
193784,  consigned  by  E.  Le  Roy  Pelletier  of  Michigan,  selling 
for  $18,300  to  Shanahan  &  Bold  Brothers  of  New  York.  At" 
this  same  sale  143  cattle,  consigned  by  thirty  or  more  breeders, 
brought  $296,470,  and  59  animals  sold  for  $1000  or  more  per 
head.  In  June,  1918,  in  a  combination  sale  at  Milwaukee,  Wis- 
consin, new  records  were  made,  175  head  bringing  a  total  of 
$425,810,  an  average  of  $2433  each.  On  this  occasion  the  bull 
calf  Carnation  King  Sylvia  231405,  consigned  by  A.  C.  Hardy 
of  Ontario,  Canada,  was  purchased  by  the  Carnation  Stock  Farm 
of  California  for  $106,000.  At  this  same  sale  the  cow  Het-Loo 
Pietertje  38502  was  sold  for  $12,750  to  Lisle  Farm  Company  of 
Illinois,  and  the  cow  Idleaze  Pontiac  Lass  238652  was  sold  to 
A.  W.  Green  of  Ohio  for  $13,000.  Eight  head  brought  figures 
ranging  from  $10,000  to  $106,000  each,  a  most  sensational  record. 
The  climax  to  all  dairy-cattle  sales  up  to  date  occurred  May  27- 
30,  1919,  in  the  dispersal  sale  of  the  Pine  Grove  Herd  of  Oliver 
Cabana,  Jr.,  Elma,  New  York,  who  sold  226  head  for  $754,270,  an 
average  of  $3337.  The  bull  Rag  Apple  the  Great  230798  sold  to 
Robert  R.  Pointer,  Detroit,  Michigan,  for  $125,000.  A.  W.  Green, 
Middlefield,  Ohio,  bought  Rag  Apple  Korndyke  8th  734 16  for 
$60,000,  and  before  the  sale  was  over  sold  a  half  interest  in  him 
for  $50,000.  Sixty-seven  of  his  sons  and  daughters  averaged 
$4410.  In  this  sale  many  animals  passed  the  $10,000  mark. 
The  cow  Segis  Hengerveld  Fayne  Johanna  173739  sold  for 
$40,000  to  Bold  Brothers,  Alden,  New  York,  and  Fairview 
Korndyke  Mata  169926  sold  for  $35,000  to  J.  T.  Shanahan, 
East  Aurora,  New  York.  An  important  purchase  of  the  1919 
season  was  that  of  the  bull  King  Pontiac  Hengerveld  Fayne  by 
R.  E.  Haeger  of  Illinois  for  $100,000.  High  prices  for  Holstein 
cattle  were  also  experienced  in  England,  and  these  reached  high 
levels  on  June  17,  1919,  when  at  a  sale  held  by  Lord  Rayleigh,  82 
head  brought  an  ^average  of  $1830.  Four  bulls  averaged  $8500, 
and  the  imported  cow  Terling  Jeltje  3ist  sold  for  5300  guineas, 
or  $27,000.  A  heifer  calf  three  months  old,  Terling  Jeltje  2d, 
brought  2  200  guineas,  or  $11,000. 


382 


CATTLE 


The  distribution  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  outside  of  Holland 
is  mainly  in  Belgium,  northern  Germany,  parts  of  Russia,  England, 
Australasia,  Canada,  and  the  United  States.  A  few  cattle  of  the 
breed  have  also  been  exported  to  Japan  and  to  South  America. 
In  general  only  British  breeds  are  kept  in  England,  but  Holstein- 
Friesian  cattle  are  getting  quite  well  established  in  that  country. 
The  breed  is  widely  distributed  over  North  America.  For  many 
years  New  York  State  has  been  regarded  as  the  great  center  for 
Holstein-Friesians,  but  extensive  herds  are  found  to-day  in  Ohio, 
Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Michigan,  New  Jersey, 

and  Massachusetts. 
On  the  Pacific  slope 
there  are  superior  herds 
in  California,  Oregon, 
and  Washington.  In 
the  South  the  breed  is 
steadily  growing  in 
favor,  but  thus  far  it  is 
not  prominent.  In  ex- 
tensive dairy  districts 
and  near  large  cities 
herds  are  most  com- 
mon. Many  public 
charity,  correctional, 
and  penal  institutions 

having  farms  maintain  herds  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle.  The 
states  of  Ohio  and  Michigan  own  a  number  of  noted  herds  of 
the  breed  that  furnish  milk  and  butter  to  public  charges.  During 
the  year  1917  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  America 
registered  88,276,  which  shows  how  extensively  the  breed  is 
handled  to-day  in  this  country.  While  not  so  well  suited  to  hot, 
dry  climates  and  to  rough,  poor  lands  as  some  breeds,  Holstein- 
Friesians  seem  to  thrive  over  a  wide  range. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  first 
developed  in  America.  About  1872  a  number  of  men  in  the 
eastern  United  States,  led  by  W.  W.  Chenery  of  Massachusetts, 
organized  the  Association  of  Breeders  of  Thoroughbred  Holstein 
Cattle.  In  1872  the  first  volume  of  the  "  Holstein  Herdbook  "  was 


FIG.  164.    A  prize-winning  two-year  old  Holstein- 
Friesian  heifer  in  the  Kuperus  herd,  Leeuwarden, 
Holland.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  383 

published.  Nine  volumes  in  all  were  issued,  the  last  appearing  in 
1885.  In  1 879  a  number  of  men  who  had  been  importing  and  breed- 
ing Dutch  cattle  and  who  disapproved  of  the  word  "Holstein" 
as  being  illogical  and  out  of  place  organized  the  Dutch  Friesian 
Cattle  Breeders'  Association  and  in  1880  published  Volume  I 
of  the  "Dutch  Friesian  Herdbook,"  of  which  four  volumes  were 
issued,  the  last  in  1885.  After  more  or  less  friction,  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  each  organization  was  bringing  over  the  same  class 
of  cattle,  a  conference  was  held  in  1885,  and  the  two  associations 
amalgamated  under  the  name  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association 
of  North  America.  Since  1885,  up  to  January,  1919,  thirty-nine 
herdbooks  have  been  issued  by  the  association  and  a  total  of  over 
690,000  animals  recorded.  Up  to  April  7,  1918,  the  association 
had  a  membership  of  10,739.  In  1892,  as  a  result  of  dissatisfac- 
tion, the  Western  Holstein-Friesian  Association  was  organized, 
and  in  1894  published  a  herdbook,  the  only  one  issued  up  to 
1 899,  when  the  association  consolidated  with  the  Holstein-Friesian 
Association  of  North  America.  In  1875  an  association  was  organ- 
ized in  Holland  under  the  name  of  the  North  Holland  Herdbook 
Association.  In  1885  an  American  branch  of  this  was  organized, 
and  Volume  I  of  the  "American  Branch  of  the  North  Holland 
Herdbook"  was  published  in  1888.  The  present-day  leading 
organization  in  Holland  promoting  the  Dutch  cattle,  comparable 
with  our  Holstein-Friesian,  is  the  "  Netherland  Rundvee  Stam- 
bock,"  with  headquarters  in  Friesland  at  Leeuwarden.  Up  to  1919 
this  society  has  published  fifty-five  volumes  of  herdbooks.  In  1909 
the  British  Holstein  Cattle  Society  was  organized.  By  1900  it 
had  833  members,  and  up  to  '1919  had  published  nine  herdbooks. 
This  organization  later  changed  its  name  to  the  British  Friesian 
Cattle  Society.  There  is  also  an  organization  in  Canada,  —  the 
Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  Canada,  —  founded  in  1891, 
which  has  published  twenty-two  herdbooks  to  1918.  In  1910  the 
New  Zealand  Holstein-Friesian  Association  was  organized.  Besides 
the  above,  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  North  America 
publishes  the  Advanced  Registry  records,  established  in  1885,  of 
cows  that  have  had  official  A.  R.  O.  tests.  This  registry  also  con- 
tains lists  of  sires  of  tested  cows.  The  first  volume  was  published 
in  1887,  followed  by  three  other  separate  volumes,  after  which  the 


384  CATTLE 

Advanced  Registry  was  for  a  time  incorporated  in  the  regular  issue 
of  the  herdbook.  In  Volume  131  bulls  and  300  cows  were  regis- 
tered. Recently  the  Holstein-Friesian  records  have  been  published 
in  an  annual  yearbook.  Among  the  organizations  to  promote  the 
breed  are  state  associations,  of  which  there  are  many  to-day  in  the 
United  States.  There  are  also  many  community  breeders,  associa- 
tions for  the  promotion  of  this  breed,  notably  in  Ohio,  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  and  New  York.  In  1914  Mr.  W.  H.  Jenkins  wrote1: 
"  In  Chenango  and  Madison  counties,  New  York,  are  500  breeders 
of  pure-bred  Holstein  cattle.  An  aid  to  breeding  the  finest  cattle 
has  been  the  Chenango-Madison  Holstein  Cattle  Club  organized 
a  few  years  ago,  which  now  has  more  than  200  members."  An 
extension  bureau  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  America, 
organized  in  1918,  has  been  instrumental  in  establishing  breed 
clubs  in  many  communities. 

Holstein-Friesian  interests  in  America  are  given  wide  publicity 
through  the  efficient  service  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  World,  an 
illustrated  weekly  published  at  Syracuse,  New  York.  The  British 
Friesian  Journal,  published  in  London,  advances  the  interests  of 
the  breed  in  Great  Britain. 

1  Hoard's  Dairyman,  November  20,  1914. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

THE  GUERNSEY 

The  native  home  of  Guernsey  cattle"  is  on  the  islands  of  Guern- 
sey and  Alderney,  in  the  Channel  Islands  group.  Guernsey  is 
seventy-eight  miles  southeast  of  Weymouth  on  the  coast  of 
England,  twenty-eight  miles  from  France,  and  twenty-two  miles 
northwest  from  the  island  of  Jersey.  Four  islands,  —  Guernsey, 
Alderney,  Sark,  and  Herm,  —  while  under  the  British  sover- 
eignty, are  under  the  local  government  of  Guernsey.  The  island 
of  Guernsey  is  roughly  triangular  in  form,  about  nine  miles  in 
its  greatest  length,  and  five  in  its  extreme  width.  While  most 
of  the  coast  is  rocky  and  precipitous,  that  of  the  south  shore  is 
especially  so,  the  cliffs  rising  to  a  height  of  270  feet,  the  land 
roughly  sloping  northward  to  a  low  beach.  The  island  has  an 
area  of  15,560  acres,  of  which  about  10,000  are  under  cultiva- 
tion. There  are  ten  parishes  on  the  island,  and,  like  Jersey,  a 
lieutenant-governor  represents  the  British  crown,  while  a  bailiff 
acts  as  president  of  the  local  government.  There  is  a  population 
of  about  45,000  on  Guernsey,  and  St.  Peter  Port  is  the  only 
town  of  consequence.  The  people,  besides  producing  cattle,  make 
a  specialty  of  crops  under  glass,  such  as  grapes,  tomatoes,  musk- 
melons,  cut  flowers,  etc.,  largely  for  the  London  market.  It  is 
said1  that  if  the  greenhouses  now  on  the  island  were  placed 
end  to  end,  they  would  reach  eight  hundred  miles,  —  probably 
an  extravagant  statement,  but  indicative  of  the  extent  of  culture 
under  glass  on  the  island.  The  cattle  on  Guernsey  are  kept  in 
small  herds  and  generally  tethered  when  on  pasture,  grazing 
systematically  and  making  good  use  of  all  food. 

The  origin  of  the  Guernsey,  like  that  of  the  Jersey,  is  quite 
obscure,  but  is  supposed  by  many  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
cattle  of  Brittany  and  Normandy  of  near-by  France.  Mr.  Hill  refers2 

1  Charles  L.  Hill,  The  Guernsey  Breed,  p.  22.   Waterloo,  Iowa,  1917. 

2  Ibid.  p.  31. 


386  CATTLE 

to  an  undated  letter  written  by  Professor  Ananias,  in  charge  of 
agriculture  in  Les  Vauxbelets  Agricultural  School,  Guernsey,  in 
which  it  is  said  that  the  monks  of  that  institution  have  especially 
investigated  the  origin  of  the  cattle  of  the  island.  The  most 
prominent  ancestor  is  the  Brittany  breed  called  Froment  du  Leon, 
which  is  much  smaller  than  the  present  Guernsey,  but  possesses 
the  same  distinct  markings  —  namely,  red  and  white,  fawn  and 
white,  etc.  —  and  is  naturally  very  active.  The  other  source  was 
the  brindle  cattle  of  Normandy,  which  were  much  heavier  than 


FIG.  165.    A  view  on  the  dock  at  St.  Peter  Port,  Guernsey.   This  shows  a  line  of 

vehicles  awaiting  turn  unloading  fruits  and  vegetables  on  the  steamer  for  England. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

the  modern  Guernsey  or  the  old  Froment  du  Leon  but  which 
produced  a  heavy  yield  of  rich  milk,  often  sixty  to  seventy  pounds 
daily.  The  brindle  marks  and  black  noses  occasionally  seen  with 
Guernseys  are  supposed  to  be  reversions  to  the  old  Normandy 
cattle.  These  two  breeds  of  cattle,  it  is  assumed,  were  taken 
to  Guernsey  centuries  ago,  and  from  the  commingling  of  their 
blood,  followed  by  careful  selection,  has  been  derived  the  modern 
breed  of  Guernsey.  The  cattle  of  Brittany  or  Normandy  to-day, 
based  on  the  author's  observation,  present  little  suggestion  of  the 
Guernsey.  The  cattle  on  Alderney  must  have  come  from  the 
same  source,  and  in  fact  for  many  years  the  cattle  imported  to 


THE  GUERNSEY  387 

England  from  any  of  the  Channel  Islands  were  commonly  called 
Alderneys.  No  doubt  the  cattle  of  the  islands  were  to  some 
extent  commingled.  Mr.  Hill,  who  is  a  noted  Guernsey  breeder 
and  authority,  says  on  this  subject 1 : 

I  have  found  plenty  of  references  to  the  taking  of  cattle  from  both  Guern- 
sey and  Jersey  to  Alderney,  and  from  both  Guernsey  and  Alderney  to  Jersey, 
and,  while  I  do  not  find  any  direct  reference  to  the  taking  of  cattle  from 
Jersey  to  Guernsey,  it  is  very  certain,  from  the  color  of  many  of  the  cattle  on 
the  Island  of  Guernsey,  that  there  must  have  been  an  admixture  of  Jersey 
blood  not  many  generations  ago.  As  recent  as  1913  I  saw  in  Guernsey  two 
registered  cows,  both  daughters  of  the  well  known  Fanny's  Sequel,  that  were 
Jersey  in  type,  and  were  solid,  dingy  black  with  black  noses  and  tails. 

Mr.  Hill  further  says  : 

No  one  could  reasonably  doubt  for  a  moment  that  there  had  been  in  com- 
paratively recent  years  an  exchange  of  cattle  from  one  island  to  another,  and 
that  within  a  century,  and  probably  within  sixty  or  seventy  years,  the  islanders 
themselves  considered  the  cattle  of  the  difterent  islands  one  and  the  same  breed. 

The  protection  and  improvement  of  cattle  on  Guernsey  may 

perhaps  be  said  to  date  from  1824,  when  an  ordinance  was  passed 
forbidding  the  importation,  under  severe  penalty,  of  "  all  sorts  of 
French  cows."  The  primary  purpose  of  this  law  was  to  prevent 
the  reexportation  of  French  cattle  from  Guernsey  to  England,  as 
of  the  island  breed.  A  further  effort  leading  to  the  improvement 
of  the  cattle  on  Guernsey  must  have  begun  about  1828,  for 
according  to  Mr.  Hill,  who  quotes  Jeremie,  there  were  certain 
points  of  excellence  observed  in  awarding  prizes  on  cattle  of 
merit,  the  following  scale  of  points  being  used  by  the  judges. 

EARLY  SCALE  OF  POINTS  FOR  CATTLE  ON  GUERNSEY 

1.  Pedigree  as  well  of  the  bull  as  the  cow,  yellow  ears,  tail,  and 

good  udder 7  points 

2.  General  appearance,  handsome  color,  cream,  light  red,  or  both 

mixed  with  white 3  points 

3.  Handsome  head,  well  horned,  and  bright  and  prominent  eye     .  4  points 

4.  Deep,  barrel-shaped  body 3  points 

5.  Good  hind  quarter  and  straight  back 2  points 

6.  Handsome  legs  and  small  bone _J  point 

Total  good,  or  points  of  excellence 20  points 

1C.  L.  Hill,  The  Guernsey  Breed,  1917. 


388  CATTLE 

The  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Guernsey  took  an  active 
interest  in  promoting  the  improvement  of  the  cattle  and  in  1842 
published  a  scale  of  points  for  bulls  (giving  28  points  for  perfec- 
tion) and  also  a  scale  for  cows  and  heifers  (with  30  points  for 
perfection).  In  1882,  in  Volume  I  of  the  herdbook,  a  revised  scale 
for  cows,  embracing  100  points,  was  published,  and  in  Volume  II, 
published  in  1883,  was  given  a  revised  scale  for  bulls,  with  a 
total  of  100  points.  No  bull  scoring  less  than  70  points  was 
to  be  allowed  a  prize.  Later  these  standards  were  revised.  Each 
year  the  Royal  Guernsey  Agricultural  Society  holds  an  annual 
show  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  June,  and  in  1911  a  fall  show,  held 


FIG.  1 66.    A  familiar  scene  on  Guernsey.    From  a  photograph  by  the  author 

on  September  29,  was  inaugurated.  Parish  shows  are  also  held. 
At  the  Royal  Guernsey  Show  the  king  of  England  has  for  years 
offered  cups  for  the  best  two  bulls  and  the  best  cow,  and  an  animal 
can  win  this  cup  but  once.  Animals  competing  for  these  cups 
must  have  been  bred  or  calved  on  the  island,  and  if  won  by 
a  bull  under  two  years  of  age  he  must  be  reserved  for  island 
service  until  three  years  of  age,  and  if  winning  the  prize  at  over 
two  years  the  bull  must  also  be  kept  for  service  at  least  twelve 
months  following.  The  first  local  show  was  held  in  July,  1881, 
when  forty  cows  were  admitted  to  the  herdbook  as  foundation 
stock  and  ranked  as  Commended,  Highly  Commended,  and  Very 
Highly  Commended.  This  custom  obtained  until  1912,  when  all 
cows  were  admitted  and  marked  as  "  qualified  at  local  shows,"  no 
distinction  in  rank  being  observed.  Only  cows  in  milk  have  ever 
been  admitted  as  foundation  stock,  and  it  is  a  rule  of  the  society, 


THE  GUERNSEY  389 

now  rigidly  enforced,  that  the  birth  of  a  calf  must  be  attested 
by  a  member  of  the  society  within  twenty-four  hours,  otherwise  a 
heifer  would  be  eligible  for  registration  as  a  foundation  cow  only 
after  coming  in  milk.  Descendants  of  foundation  (F.)  or  pedigree 
stock  (P.  S.)  are  registered  as  pedigree  stock. 

The  introduction  of  the  Guernsey  to  America  dates  back  early 
in  the  last  century.    In   1824  Reuben  Haines  of  Germantown, 


FIG.  167.    Sheet  Anchor  2934  (imp.),  calved  in  1891,  a  famous  Guernsey  sire 

and  show  bull.    Owned  by  H.  McKay  Twombly,  Madison,  New  Jersey.    From 

photograph  by  Schreiber 

Pennsylvania,  wrote  in  the  "  Memoirs  of  the  Pennsylvania  Agri- 
cultural Society  "  that  he  "  procured  a  pair  of  cattle  of  the  Island 
of  Alderney "  and  soon  satisfied  himself  that  no  breed  in  the 
country  would  bear  a  comparison  with  them.  These  were  imported 
in  1818  and  may  be  regarded  as  Guernseys  in  fact,  inasmuch  as 
cattle  on  Alderney  island  are  to-day  registered  in  the  island  of 
Guernsey  herdbook.  According  to  publications  of  the  Ameri- 
can Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  cattle  were  brought  to  America  from 
Guernsey  about  1830  by  a  Mr.  Prince  of  Boston  and  placed 
on  a  farm  of  his  in  Massachusetts.  Soon  after  importation  a 
cow  and  bull  were  shipped  to  Cow  Island,  Lake  Winnipesaukee, 


390  CATTLE 

New  Hampshire.  These  two  animals  were  in  1899  registered 
by  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club  as  the  Pillsbury  bull  5816 
and  the  Pillsbury  cow  11310.  From  them  as  foundation  stock 
have  descended  some  excellent  cattle.  The  next  oldest  importa- 
tion of  pure-bred  Guernseys  occurred  September  26,  1840,  Nicho- 
las Biddle  of  Andalusia,  Pennsylvania,  bringing  over  three  cows 
on  the  schooner  Pilot.  These  were  registered  by  the  club  as  Jennie 
Deans  I,  Fenella  2,  and  Flora  Mclvor  3,  and  from  them  came 
the  heifers  Fanny  Ellsler  4,  Fairy  5,  and  the  bull  St.  Patrick  i. 
These  were  the  first  entries  in  the  American  herdbook.  About 
1851  J.  P.  Swain  imported  a  few  animals  from  the  Channel 
Islands,  two  being  from  Guernsey.  One  of  these,  Guernsey  184, 
was  a  superior  milker,  and  her  first  calf,  Cottie  188,  lived  to  a  ripe 
old  age  and  was  a  valuable  producer  and  breeder.  Importations 
were  also  made  in  1855  by  W.  H.  Stewart  and  E.  M.  Hopkins 
of  Torresdale,  Pennsylvania,  and  by  C.  H.  Fisher  of  Philadelphia. 
About  1865  E.  P.  P.  Fowler  and  P.  H.  Fowler  of  England  and 
the  United  States,  prominent  dealers  in  Channel  Island  cattle, 
began  to  bring  Guernseys  to  America.  In  1872  Mr.  J.  M.  Codman 
of  Brookline,  Massachusetts,  visited  the  island  and  imported  a  few 
animals  which  were  looked  upon  with  favor  in  New  England. 
In  1874  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Agricul- 
ture made  an  importation,  and  these  cattle  were  distributed  over 
the  state  to  different  farms,  including  those  of  E.  F.  Bowditch  of 
Framingham,  W.  C.  Cabot  of  Brookline,  and  James  Lawrence  of 
Groton.  These  three  latter  herds  were  still  in  existence  in  1918. 
Beginning  with  the  seventies  considerable  activity  occurred  in  im- 
porting Guernseys,  and  up  to  1918  over  6000  were  imported. 
On  February  7,  1877,  eleven  energetic  breeders  came  together  at 
the  Astor  House,  New  York  City,  and  organized  the  American 
Guernsey  Breeders'  Association.  At  the  first  annual  meeting,  in 
December,  1877,  it  was  reported  by  Edward  Norton,  the  secretary, 
that  193  Guernseys,  114  of  which  were  imported,  were  registered 
by  forty  different  breeders.  Then  for  years  the  breed  received  but 
little  attention,  until  about  1893,  when  public  interest  was  excited 
by  the  record  made  by  Guernseys  in  the  tests  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago.  Since  then  Guernseys  have 
steadily  gained  in  favor  ;  the  supply  has  hardly  equaled  the  demand. 


THE  GUERNSEY 


391 


Characteristics  of  Guernseys.  In  general  appearance  the  cattle 
of  this  breed  are  larger  than  Jerseys,  are  of  coarser  make-up,  and 
show  a  more  rugged  character.  The  head  tends  to  be  somewhat 
plain,  the  face  frequently  being  rather  straight  and  lacking  the 
graceful  curves  characteristic  of  the  Jersey.  The  horns  should  be 
white  or  amber  colored,  and  are  often  tinted  a  deep  yellow,  curving 


FIG.  1 68.  Honoria's  Sequel  2d,  winner  of  the  King's  Cup  on  Guernsey.  Owned 
by  Alfred  Le  Patourel,  La  Ramee,  Guernsey.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

gracefully  around  inward  and  slightly  upward,  with  the  cow ;  those 
of  the  bull  being  shorter,  stronger,  and  less  curved.  The  neck 
of  the  Guernsey  shows  considerable  relative  length,  the  withers 
tend  to  be  coarse  rather  than  refined,  and  heaviness  of  shoulder 
is  quite  frequent.  Many  cattle  of  the  breed  lack  in  level  top  line, 
especially  back  of  the  withers.  Excellent  digestive  capacity  is 
indicated  in  the  capacious  middlepiece,  which  is  rather  character- 
istic of  the  breed.  The  hind  qtiarters  tend  to  be  a  bit  promi- 
nent at  the  tail  head  and  full  at  the  thighs.  The  udder  varies 


392  CATTLE 

considerably  in  the  type,  with  the  fore  part  inclined  to  be  short  and 
carried  high.  In  spite  of  the  above  criticisms,  those  familiar  with  the 
Guernsey  during  the  past  twenty-five  years  have  noted  a  marked 
improvement  in  type  and  dairy  conformation.  There  is  much  less 
roughness  of  outline  and  more  finish  and  quality  than  heretofore. 
The  class  of  Guernsey  cattle  seen  in  the  shows  of  importance 
to-day  is  markedly  superior  to  those  of  even  a  few  years  ago. 

The  color  of  the  Guernsey  is  either  yellowish,  brownish,  or  red- 
dish fawn,  the  latter  prevailing,  frequently  with  white  markings 
or  with  white  on  the  limbs  or  under  part  of  the  body.  The  most 
recent  scale  of  points  in  use  on  Guernsey  applies  the  following 
color  qualifications  to  both  bulls  and  cows :  "Hair  fine  and  silky, 
fawn  or  red,  black  or  brin'dle,  with  or  without  white  markings." 
In  the  last  scale  of  points  adopted  by  the  American  Guernsey 
Cattle  Club  (1918)  the  color  markings  are  given  as  "a  shade  of 
fawn  with  white  markings."  The  modern  tendency  favors  the  pre- 
dominance of  fawn,  and  many  Guernseys  of  to-day  show  compar- 
atively little  white.  The  color  of  the  skin  at  the  nose  is  commonly 
of  a  cream  or  buff  tint,  in  other  words,  white,  but  a  dark  slatish 
black  is  not  uncommon.  There  has  been  more  or  less  controversy 
over  the  color  of  the  Guernsey  nose,  a  light  color  being  much 
preferred,  but  the  dark  nose  has  never  been  condemned,  though 
not  by  any  means  popular.  Mr.  C.  L.  Hill  states  that  "  the  buff 
nose  is  fashionable  in  the  show  ring,  but  it  is  safe  to  say  that 
this  fashion  has  not  been  helpful  to  the  Guernsey  breed,  as  in  the 
past  it  is  well  known  that  many  of  the  brindles  and  dark  cows 
have  been  among  the  very  best  animals."  The  hair  about  the 
muzzle  and  eyes  should  be  of  a  whitish  or  very  light  fawn,  some- 
times termed  "mealy  color."  The  horns  and  hoofs  are  preferably 
of  a  dark-amber  hue. 

The  skin  secretions  of  the  Guernsey  have  long  been  regarded 
by  breeders  as  important  guides  to  the  quality  of  the  milk. 
The  1828  points  of  excellence  specified  yellow  ears  and  tail.  In 
1842  the  scale  of  points  emphasized  that  the  ears  should  be 
orange  colored  inside.  In  the  latest  island  scale  of  points  fifteen 
credits  are  given  to  features  associated  with  color  of  milk,  as 
when  the  skin  is  deep  yellow  in  the  ear,  on  the  end  of  the  bone 
of  the  tail,  and  on  the  udder,  teats,  and  body  generally.  The 


THE  GUERNSEY  393 

new  1918  Guernsey  scale  of  points  gives  twenty  points  credit  for 
essentially  the  same  features.  Some  nonpartisan  friends  of  the 
breed  have  regarded  these  figures  as  too  great  a  proportion  of  the 
100  points  making  up  the  standard.  However,  it  must  be  con- 
ceded that  the  deep  yellow  secretions  and  the  thin,  mellow,  elastic 
skin  of  the  Guernsey  are  very  important  indicators  of  the  superior 
quality  of  the  animal  and  its  milk. 

The  size  of  the  Guernsey  may  be  classed  as  medium.  The  tend- 
ency during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  towards  in- 
crease in  size.  Weight  is  not  usually  much  discussed  by  European 
breeders,  but  for  many  years  four  points  have  been  credited  in 
the  standard  either  to  growth  or  to  size,  the  latter  word  now  being 
used.  No  standards  of  weight,  however,  are  given.  The  present 
American  scale  adopts  "  about"  1600  pounds  for  the  mature  bull 
and  1 1  oo  pounds  for  the  cow  as  standard  weights.  In  a  discus- 
sion on  the  subject  of  weight  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  May  15,  1918,  Mr.  Tarbell  said  : 

It  is  not  material,  I  believe,  whether  the  Guernsey  cow  weighs  1050 
pounds,  1125  pounds,  or  1150  pounds;  in  fact,  a  looo-pound  cow  is  quite  an 
ideal  Guernsey  cow.  That  gives  a  little  latitude,  depending  entirely  upon  other 
things  in  connection  with  the  matter.  Personally,  I  should  like  to  see  it  left 
"  about  1 1 oo  pounds,"  and  the  bull  the  same  way,  "  about  1600  pounds,"  if  it 
could  be  done.  Mr.  Hill  stated  that  he  thought  "noo  pounds  in  milking 
condition  a  pretty  big  cow.  I  think  it  would  be  about  ideal  to  strive  for." 

The  temperament  of  the  Guernsey  is  superior,  the  males  per- 
haps being  hardly  as  nervous  and  irritable  as  are  Jersey  bulls, 
although  the  dairy  temperament  is  characteristic  of  each  sex.  In 
1899  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club  adopted  standards  for 
each  sex,  where  thirty  points  were  credited  to  "  dairy  tempera- 
ment and  constitution,"  but  in  the  more  recent  1918  standards 
no  reference  is  made  to  temperament.  From  the  standpoint  of 
disposition  the  Guernsey  is  very  good,  being  naturally  quiet  and 
easily  handled. 

The  maturing  character  of  the  Guernsey  is  not  remarkable.  The 
young  bulls  show  masculine  traits  more  slowly  than  the  Jersey 
and  reach  maturity  somewhat  later. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Guernsey  has  its  distinctive  place  on 
the  dairy  farm.  Crossing  of  breeds  is  not  advisable,  but  using 


394  CATTLE 

Guernsey  sires  on  grade  cows  will  give  excellent  results  if  in- 
telligently followed,  yielding  very  rich  milk  eminently  suited  to 
butter-making  or  city  cream  or  milk  trade.  If  a  sire  with  strong 
constitution  is  selected  for  use  on  grade  Jerseys,  the  constitution, 
size,  and  productivity  of  the  herd  may  be  improved ;  if  used  on 
grade  Holstein-Friesian  cows,  a  herd  producing  richer  milk,  though 
not  so  much,  may  be  expected.  In  a  publication  of  the  American 


FIG.  169.     Rutila's  Daughter  6670,  calved  in   1891,  a  very  beautiful  Guernsey 

cow  with   a  record  of  8988  pounds  milk   in  one  year,  testing  489.8  pounds 

butter   fat.     Owned   by    H.    McKay   Twombly,    Madison,    New   Jersey.     From 

photograph  by  Schreiber 

Guernsey  Cattle  Club  on  "the  Grade  Guernsey  Cow"  much  in- 
teresting evidence  is  brought  forward.  L.  E.  Bronson,  referring 
to  five  years'  work  in  grading  up,  states  that  since  following  this 
practice  of  grading  to  the  Guernsey,  the  yearly  yield  of  the  herd 
has  increased  over  100  pounds  butter  fat  per  cow.  N.  I.  Bowditch 
of  Massachusetts,  a  long-time  Guernsey  breeder,  writes  : 

I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  write  you  that  this  cross  has  been  very  satisfactory, 
especially  so  the  first  cross  with  Holsteins.  I  have  bred  several  Holstein  cows 
that  tested  from  2.8  to  3.4  butter  fat,  and  their  progeny  have  given  me  milk 
testing  all  the  way  from  4.5  to  5.6.  I  have  crossed  the  Guernsey  bull  with 


THE  GUERNSEY 


395 


grade  Durhams,  Ayrshires  and  Jerseys,  and  as  a  rule  the  result  has  been  very 
satisfactory.  I  am  raising  about  25  grade  heifers  each  year,  and  have  a  very 
promising  lot  of  heifers  and  young  cows. 

In  a  recent  address l  on  "  Grade  Guernseys  in  the  Central  West," 
before  the  Western  Guernsey  Breeders'  Association,  Noel  Negley 
reports  that  of  37,772  cows  on  test  by  seventy-seven  Wisconsin 
cow-test  associations,  5938,  or  23  per  cent,  of  the  grades  were  grade 
Guernseys.  The  average  milk  production  of  1498  of  these  cows 
was  5655  pounds,  testing  4.7  per  cent  fat  and  producing  265.9 
pounds  butter  fat.  Twenty 
grade  cows  from  ten  herds 
averaged  10,153.4  pounds 
of  milk  and  508.4  pounds 
of  fat. 

The  Guernsey  in  beef 
production  can  have  but 
a  subordinate  place.  A 
larger  and  perhaps  fatter 
carcass  may  be  made  than 
with  the  Jersey,  but  this 
presents  the  same  objec-  FlG-  170-  Island  Champion  62623  (imp).  Be- 
tion  as  Other  dairy  breeds,  ! :°re  ^P^on  this  bull,  a  winner  of  the  highest 
J  honors  on  the  island,  was  known  as  Masher  II. 

-  tOO  much   offal,   a  low  From  photograph  by  the  author 

percentage  of  high-priced 

cuts,  and,  in  this  case,  too  yellow  fat.  In  flavor  and  quality 
Guernsey  beef  or  veal  will  rank  high  among  dairy  type  breeds. 
The  prolificacy  of  the  Guernsey  probably  does  not  differ  much 
from  that  of  the  other  dairy-type  breeds.  In  1916  the  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club  published  some  comparative  figures  on  the 
rate  of  gain  of  several  breeds,  including  its  own,  as  based  on 
office  records  in  registration.  In  1906  the  yearly  increase  of  reg- 
istrations for  the  Ayrshire,  Guernsey,  Holstein,  and  Jersey  breeds 
averaged  7.66  per  cent,  that  of  the  Guernsey  being  9.3  per  cent. 
In  1915  the  average  percentage  increase  of  the  four  breeds  was 
12.46  per  cent,  that  of  the  Guernsey  being  14  per  cent.  On  the 
basis  of  these  comparative  records  the  conclusion  is  reached  that 
"there  is  more  assurance  that  the  average  Guernsey  herd  will 

1  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal,  May  i,  1918. 


396 


CATTLE 


double  in  a  given  number  of  years  than  there  is  for  some  of  the 
other  breeds,  and  just  as  much  assurance  as  any  breed  can  give." 
The  Advanced  Registry  of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club 
was  based  on  action  of  the  club  in  May,  1901,  when  a  set  of 
rules  for  officially  testing  bulls  and  cows  under  the  supervision 
of  agricultural  college  or  experiment  station  officials  was  adopted. 
In  1894  some  preliminary  work  in  this  direction  was  attempted, 
and  in  July,  1897,  the  Club  published  some  rules  for  making 


FIG.  171.    Princess  May  1479  F.  S.,  a  choice  specimen  of  a  Guernsey  cow,  and 

dam  of  the  imported  bull  Deputy  2917,  at  head  of  the  Pan-American  Exposition 

Guernsey  herd.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

butter  tests  for  cows  under  supervision  of  the  executive  committee 
of  the  Club,  samples  of  the  milk  being  tested  by  experiment 
station  officials,  and  late  in  1898  four  different  breeders  regis- 
tered for  testing  their  herds.  The  work  then  done,  mainly  in 
1899,  attracted  much  favorable  comment,  and  the  rules  adopted 
in  1901  were  the  outgrowth  of  this  experience.  These  rules 
(which  have  undergone  more  or  less  revision)  in  1918  involve  the 
following  essential  factors  :  If  the  record  is  commenced  the  day  the 
animal  is  two  years  old,  or  previous  to  that  day,  she  must  produce 
within  one  year  from  that  date  250.5  pounds  of  butter  fat.  For 


THE  GUERNSEY 


397 


each  day  the  animal  is  over  two  years  old  at  the  beginning  of  her 
year's  record,  the  amount  of  butter  fat  she  will  be  required  to 
produce  in  the  year  will  be  established  by  adding  o.i  (one  tenth) 
of  a  pound  for  each  day  to  the  250.5  pounds  required  when  two 
years  old.  This  ratio  is  applicable  until  the  animal  is  five  years 
old,  when  the  required  amount  will  have  reached  360  pounds, 
which  will  be  the  amount  of  butter  fat  required  of  all  cows  five 
years  old  or  over.  Any  period  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 


FIG.  172.  Spotswood  Daisy  Pearl  17696,  one  of  the  great  Guernsey  cows,  with 
a  world's  record  in  1910-1911  of  957  pounds  butter  fat.  Owned  by  O.  C.  Barber, 

Barberton,  Ohio 

consecutive  days  or  less  in  which  a  cow  has  made  her  require- 
ments may  be  used  for  determining  her  record,  regardless  of  any 
time  lost  on  account  of  being  dry  during  that  period.  The  ordi- 
nary Guernsey  Advanced  Registry  classes  are  A,  for  cows  five  years 
old  and  older ;  B,  four  and  one-half  to  five  years ;  C,  four  to  four 
and  one-half  years  ;  D,  three  and  one-half  to  four  years  ;  E,  three 
to  three  and  one-half  years  ;  F,  two  and  one-half  to  three  years ; 
G,  two  to  two  and  one-half  years.  If,  in  addition  to  making  the 
requirements  in  her  respective  class,  a  cow  shall  carry  a  calf  or 
calves  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  in  her  test,  the  letters  used 


39$ 


CATTLE 


to  indicate  her  class  shall  be  doubled  and  would  be-  respectively 
AA,  BB,  CC,  DD,  EE,  FF,  or  GG,  according  to  the  conditions. 
The  Guernsey  as  a  producer  of  milk  has  steadily  grown  in  favor, 
although  breeders  have  emphasized  the  quality  and  fat  content. 
In  the  year  1888-1889  the  cow  Lily  Alexandre  1059  produced 
12,856  pounds  of  milk.  Between  1883  and  1903  daily  milk 
records  were  kept  of  the  N.  K.  Fairbanks  herd  of  60  head,  in 
which  6000  to  7000  pounds  were  not  infrequent,  the  best  record 
being  9447  pounds  in  three  hundred  and  twenty-eight  days.  The 
average  annual  yield  of  62  cows  and  heifers  of  the  Ellerslie  herd  of 
New  York  for  about  1892  was  6120  pounds,  with  10,316  the  max- 
imum. Various  other  herd  records  of  this  period  gave  similar  re- 
sults. Beginning  with  the  Advanced  Registry  rules  about  1900  came 
a  greatly  increased  activity  in  record-making.  The  following  yearly 
official  records  up  to  1919  are  for  the  more  important  ten  animals. 

LEADING  GUERNSEY  MILK  RECORDS  FOR  ONE  YEAR 


NAME  AND  NUMBER  OF  Cow 

AGE  WHEN 

TESTED 

YEAR  TESTED 

YIELD 

8  years 

IQI4—  IQI  C 

°4  008  Ib 

Nella  Jay  4th  38233      .     .     . 
Langwater  Hope  27946     
Yeksa's  Tops  of  Gold's  Fannie  22362 
May  Rilma  22761      
Belladia  31009           

5  years 
6  years 
10  years 
6  years 
6  years 

1916-1917 
1915-1916 
1915-1916 
1913-1914 

ioi<;-iQi6 

20,710  Ib. 
19,882  Ib. 
19,794  Ib. 
19,673  Ib. 
10,672  Ib. 

Langwater  Nancy  27943    
Spotswood  Daisy  Pearl  17696   .     .     . 
Dolly  Dimple  19144      .          . 

7  years 
7  years 
•j  years 

1917-1918 
1910-1911 

IQO8—  IQOQ 

18,783  Ib. 
18,603  Ib. 
18,41:0  Ib. 

Imp.  Donnington  Goldie  5th  59866    . 

4  years 

1916-1917 

17,862  Ib. 

Many  very  large  milk  yields  are  recorded.  Of  7943  Advanced 
Registry  milk  records  up  to  March,  1919,  over  2300  aged  cows 
averaged  10,288  pounds,  while  the  average  for  the  7943,  repre- 
senting all  ages  from  two  years  up,  was  9000  pounds.  The  aver- 
age yield  of  70  class  leaders  for  this  group  was  1 5 , 1 60  pounds, 
a  remarkable  record  when  one  considers  the  size  of  the  animal 
producing  the  yield. 

The  Guernsey  as  a  producer  of  butter  fat  occupies  a  position 
of  the  very  first  rank.  A  study  of  the  history  of  the  breed  brings 


THE  GUERNSEY 


399 


into  clear  light  the  importance  the  islanders  have  long  placed  on 
the  butter-producing  value  of  the  milk.  The  first  island  scale  of 
points  of  importance,  that  of  1842,  makes  as  the  first  qualification 
that  the  pedigree  shall  be  of  ancestry  known  to  produce  "rich, 
yellow  butter."  Guernsey  milk  is  usually  of  a  higher  natural 
yellow  color  than  that  of  any  other  breed.  The  fat  globules  are 
comparatively  large  and  have  a  deeper  yellow  than  even  the 


FIG.  173.    Langwater  Dairymaid  26377,  bred  by  Langwater  Farms,  North  Easton, 
Massachusetts,  and  sold  at  public  sale  for  $6150.    As  a  five-year-old,  this  cow  pro- 
duced 16,949  pounds  milk  and  812.66  pounds  fat.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy 
of  Langwater  Farms,  F.  L.  Ames,  owner 

Jersey.  In  fact,  Guernsey  breeders  seek  the  rich  yellow  as  charac- 
teristic, arguing  that  with  this  breed  it  is  not  necessary  to  color 
the  butter  artificially,  as  its  natural  yellow  meets  the  market  de- 
mands. The  per  cent  of  fat  in  all  Advanced  Registry  testing  up 
to  the  middle  of  1918  shows  5  per  cent  as  an  average,  with  5.2 
per  cent  for  the  70  class  leaders.  In  the  Pan-American  dairy 
breed  competition,  in  which  the  Guernseys  secured  first  honors, 
the  average  per  cent  of  fat  in  the  milk  was  4.68  compared  with 
4.82  for  the  Jersey.  However,  the  Guernsey  butter  scored  an 


400 


CATTLE 


average  of  96.34  total  points  compared  with  95.80  for  the  Jersey, 
while  in  color  that  of  the  Guernsey  had  an  average  grade  of  14.97 
out  of  a  possible  15  points,  the  best  record  of  any  of  the  ten 
breeds.  The  5  Guernsey  cows  in  the  Pan-American  test  for  the 
six  months  produced  1429.43  pounds  of  churned  butter,  valued  at 
$357-36,  yielding  a  net  profit  of  $220.37,  the  best  record  of  any 
breed  in  profit  and  almost  the  first  record  in  amount  of  butter 
produced,  the  Holstein-Friesian  leading  in  this  regard  by  only 
three  fourths  of  a  pound.  In  this  test  of  50  cows  of  ten  breeds, 
the  Guernsey  cow  Mary  Marshall  5604,  aged  ten  years,  led  the  list, 
producing  in  six  months  5611  pounds  of  milk,  testing  5.36  per 
cent  and  yielding  301.13  pounds  butter  fat  and  354.26  pounds 
churned  butter,  giving  a  total  profit  of  $59.43.  Guernsey  breeders, 
however,  have  attached  special  importance  to  long-time  tests,  being 
from  the  first  advocates  of  this  method  to  measure  the  producing 
value  of  the  cow.  Following  are  the  leading  records  in  butter-fat 
production  of  Advanced  Registry  cows  up  to  1919. 


LEADING  GUERNSEY  BUTTER-FAT  RECORDS  FOR  ONE  YEAR 


NAME  AND  NUMBER  OF  Cow 

AGE  WHEN 

TESTED 

YEAR  TESTED 

YIELD 

Murne  Cowan  19597 

8  years 

I  Q  1  4.—  I  Q  I  ^ 

1098  1  8  Ib 

May  Rilma  22761 

6  years 

IQ1  1    IQIA. 

Nella  Jay  4th  38233  

5  years 

1916—191  7 

1019  2  tj  Ib 

Lansrwater  Nancy  27943 

7  vears 

1917    1918 

Langwater  Hope  27946     
Yeksa's  Tops  of  Gold's  Fannie  22362 
Spotswood  Daisy  Pearl  17696    .     .     . 
Julie.  of  the  Chene  30460  . 

6  years 
10  years 
7  years 
6  years 

1915-1916 
1915-1916 
1910-1911 

IOI4    IQI  C 

1003.17  Ib. 
g6i.53.HK 

957.38  Ib. 

nr-2  r-3  Ib 

Imp.  Bijou  des  Frances  44541    .     .     . 
Belladia  31909      ... 

6  years 

1917-1918 

IQI  c   IQI  6 

iOJOJ  1U' 
943.41  Ib. 

Q-JA  OC  Ib 

The  average  of  the  above  ten  records  is  997!  pounds  of  butter 
fat,  a  remarkable  showing.  Up  to  January  i,  1919,  there  were 
recorded  annual  butter-fat  records  of  7943  different  cows,  which 
showed  an  average  yield  of  450  pounds,  while  the  best  70  cows  in 
seven  classes  had  the  high  average  of  790  pounds.  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  there  are  10  junior  and  10  senior  two-year-old  heifers 
in  this  list  of  70  class  leaders,  and  1 1  of  these  20  have  produced 


THE  GUERNSEY  401 

yields  of  fat  from  703  to  773  pounds  each.  With  the  present  im- 
proved condition  of  the  breed  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  expect  the 
average  herd  to  produce  350  pounds  of  butter  per  head,  if  not  more. 

The  cheese  value  of  Guernsey  milk  ranks  very  well,  although 
not  largely  used  for  this  purpose,  being  mainly  turned  to  butter 
production  or  retail  milk  trade.  The  milk  stands  well  in  total 
solids,  that  of  whole  herds  often  averaging  14  to  15  per  cent, 
thus  furnishing  a  satisfactory  grade  of  cheese.  The  only  official 
test  on  a  large  scale  showing  the  value  of  Guernsey  milk  in 
cheese-making  was  in  1893  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition. 
I  ft  this  trial,  covering  fifteen  days,  participated  in  by  Guernseys, 
Jerseys,  and  Shorthorns,  the  Jerseys  stood  first,  scoring  90.7  ;  the 
Shorthorns,  second,  scoring  90.5  ;  and  the  Guernseys  third  with 
87.2.  However,  in  net  profit  the  Guernseys  stood  second  to 
the  Jerseys. 

Families  of  Guernsey  cattle  have  attracted  attention  only  in 
comparatively  recent  years  and  more  especially  since  official 
testing  has  become  established.  The  number  of  families  is  not 
large,  but  of  these  the  following  may  be  regarded  as  of  special 
distinction.  Charles  L.  Hill  has  made  a  valuable  contribution 
regarding  Guernsey  families,1  and  from  his  writings  the  author 
quotes  freely  and  with  appreciation. 

The  Bonnie  Lassie  family  descends  from  Bonnie  Lassie  of 
Fernwood  1845  A.  G.  C.  C.,  calved  on  Guernsey  in  1883  and 
imported  to  Boston  in  September  the  same  year  by  L.  W.  Ledyard. 
Her  first  calf,  Bonny  Boy  1097,  did  much  for  the  fame  of  this 
family.  He  sired  several  excellent  daughters,  but  his  real  impor- 
tance is  through  his  sons,  of  which  Lily's  Bonny  Boy  2676  is 
especially  noteworthy.  He  was  sire  of  Lily  Ella  7240,  with  a 
semiofficial  record  of  782  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year,  and  of  Lilly ita 
7241,  with  a  record  of  71 1  pounds.  Three  of  his  other  daughters 
have  official  records  of  over  500  pounds  of  fat  each,  and  twenty- 
eight  of  his  daughters  have  private  or  public  records  exceeding 
Advanced  Registry  requirements.  The  great  record  cow  Murne 
Cowan  19597  is  a  granddaughter  of  a  son  of  Lily  Ella — -Lily 
Ella's  Jeweler  5417.  The  blood  of  this  and  the  Materna  families 
have  been  much  intermingled. 

1  The  Guernsey  Breed  (1917),  and  Hoard's  Dairyman^  December  22,  1911. 


4O2 


CATTLE 


The  Dolly  Bloom  family  is  descended  from  Dolly  Bloom  12770, 
which  traces  back  on  the  sire's  side  five  generations  to  Bonny  Boy 
1097.  Dolly  Bloom  was  calved  April  14,  1900,  and  was  bred  by 
Ezra  Michener  of  Pennsylvania.  Dolly  Bloom  was  a  great  pro- 
ducer of  both  milk  and  progeny.  As  a  five-year-old  she  made 
17,298  pounds  of  milk  containing  836.21  pounds  of  fat.  However, 
she  receives  her  chief  fame  from  her  daughter  Dolly  Dimple  19144, 


FIG.  174.    Langwater  Warrior  26509,  a  prominent  Guernsey  sire  of  fine  style  and 
type.   Owned  by  Langwater  Farms,  North  Easton,  Massachusetts.    From  photo- 
graph, by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Ames 

with  the  great  record  of  18,459  pounds  of  milk  and  906.89  pounds 
fat  in  a  year  as  a  three-year-old.  Another  daughter,  Dolly  Bloom 
of  Langwater  15452,  had  a  record  of  632.34  pounds  of  fat,  and  her 
daughter  Langwater  Dolly  Bloom  22136  had  the  large  record  of 
867.89  pounds  fat  in  a  year.  Jethro  Bass  11366,  a  son  of  Dolly 
Bloom,  has  sired  a  number  of  high-producing  daughters,  including 
Rose  of  Langwater  24204,  with  a  year's  record  of  751.62  pounds 
fat,  and  Langwater  Dairymaid  26377,  w^h  a  record  of  812.66 
pounds  fat.  This  latter  cow  also  sold  for  $6150  at  public  auction. 


THE  GUERNSEY  403 

This  and  the  May  King  families,  in  the  hands  of  F.  L.  Ames  of 
Massachusetts,  have  been  bred  together  to  great  advantage. 

The  France  family,  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  breed,  has 
its  origin  in  the  cow  France  404  F.  S.  2207  A.  G.  H.  B.  She 
was  bought  by  P.  D.  Ozanne  from  Mr.  T.  Vidmour,  Les  Frances 
Farm,  St.  Saviours,  Guernsey,  and  from  this  farm  she  got  her 
name.  She  was  imported  in  September,  1884,  by  A.  F.  Fuller  of 
Pennsylvania  and  sold  to  Francis  Shaw  of  Wayland,  Massachu- 
setts. She  left  on  the  island  one  daughter,  France  2d,  and  as  she 
was  in  calf  when  imported  she  dropped  a  heifer  in  America, 
France  3d  2573  (imp.).  On  the  island  her  daughter,  who  was 
later  imported,  also  dropped  a  heifer,  named  France  3d  3018  P.  S. 
From  this  latter,  France  3d,  this  family  descends.  The  mating  of 
Masher  2d  858  P.  S.,  later  known  as  Island  Champion  6263  (imp.), 
to  France  3d,  later  known  as  La  Belle  France  14454  (imP-)>  pro- 
duced France's  Masher  2d  7248  (imp.),  the  sire  of  Masher's  Sequel 
11462  (imp.),  one  of  the  greatest  sires  of  the  breed.  Raymond 
of  the  Preel  11353  (imP-)>  sire  of  a  large  number  of  Advanced 
Registry  daughters,  is  a  son  of  Masher's  Sequel.  This  family  in- 
cludes a  large  number  of  animals  in  the  Advanced  Registry,  but 
the  records  produced  are  hardly  as  high  in  butter  fat  as  some  of  the 
others.  This  especially  applies  to  daughters  of  Masher's  Sequel. 

The  Glen  wood  Girl  family  descends  from  Glenwood  Girl  1693, 
imported  in  dam  in  1883  by  L.  W.  Ledyard  of  New  York. 
Calved  in  1884,  she  soon  after  became  the  property  of  E.  T.  Gill 
of  Haddonfield,  New  Jersey,  in  whose  possession  she  dropped 
twelve  living  calves,  seven  being  heifers.  These  daughters,  mostly 
sired  by  different  bulls,  were  an  unusual  group,  but  one  of  them, 
Glenwood  Girl  2d  9108,  produced  9945  pounds  of  milk  and 
508.7  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year  and  lived  to  be  sixteen  years  old. 
Her  son  Glenwood  Boy  of  Haddon  4605  sired  many  Advanced 
Registry  daughters,  including  Jedetta  of  Pinehurst  17434,  with  a 
record  of  778.8  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year,  and  Dairymaid  of  Pine- 
hurst  24656,  with  a  record  of  17,285  pounds  of  milk  and  910.67 
pounds  of.  fat  in  a  year.  Mr.  Hill  wrote1  in  1911  that  it  was  his 
opinion,  if  Glenwood  Boy  of  Haddon  had  had  the  opportunity 
that  some  bulls  had  of  serving  a  large  number  of  females,  he 

1  Hoard's  Dairyman,  December  22,  1911. 


404 


CATTLE 


would  easily  have  led  all  sires  in  the  number  of  his  Advanced 
Registry  daughters.  Through  the  sons  and  grandsons  of  Glenwood 
Boy  of  Haddon  has  come  a  large  number  of  Advanced  Registry 
cows,  including  Elberons'  Glenwood  of  Haddon  28934,  with  test 
of  825.9  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year,  and  Miranda  of  Mapleton  19606, 


FIG.  175.    Langwater  Pauline  33566,  by  King  of  the  May.    First  prize  in  class  at 
National  Dairy  Show.    Record  for  three  hundred  and  forty-four  days,  as  a  three- 
year-old,  10,918.8  pounds  milk  and  595.37  pounds  fat.   Bred  by  Langwater  Farms, 
North  Easton,  Massachusetts.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  F.  L.  Ames 

with  a  record  of  927.16  pounds.  Glenwood  Girl  6th  9113,  a 
daughter  of  old  Glenwood  Girl  and  long  regarded  as  a  model  of 
the  breed  in  conformation,  was  dam  of  Glenwood's  Mainstay 
6067,  with  many  Advanced  Registry  daughters.  This  family  is 
looked  upon  with  special  favor. 

The  Masher  family  descends  from  Masher  705  P.  S.,  calved 
on  Guernsey  May  2,  1890,  bred  by  F.  N.  Mahy,  and  owned  by 
Alfred  Le  Patourel  of  La  Ramee  farm.  Through  his  son  Island 


THE  GUERNSEY  40$ 

Champion  6263  (Masher  2d  858  P.  S.),  a  famous  prize  winner  on 
the  Island,  comes  a  line  of  noted  animals.  Langwater  Dorothy 
27944,  with  Advanced  Registry  record  of  781.65  pounds  of  fat  in 
a  year,  was  four  generations  removed  from  old  Masher.  Spots- 
wood  Sequel  9686  (imp.),  son  of  Spotswood  Busy  Bee  17606 
(imp.),  by  Island  Champion,  is  sire  of  many  Advanced  Registry 
daughters,  including  Lady  Lesbia  25142,  with  test  of  787  pounds 
of  fat  in  a  year.  Masher's  Sequel  1 1462,  previously  referred  to  in 
the  France  family,  is  a  grandson  of  Island  Champion.  Masher's 
Sequel  bred  to  Galaxy  4422  P.  S.  sired  Galaxy's  Sequel  16904 
(imp.),  winner  of  the  King's  Cup  in  1907  and  sire  of  many 
daughters  in  the  Advanced  Registry.  This  family  is  very  closely 
interwoven  with  the  France  family. 

The  Materna  family  receives  its  name  from  the  cow  Materna 
1334,  calved  September  3,  1882,  on  the  farm  of  N.  K.  Fair- 
banks, Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin.  She  was  sired  by  Amber  145, 
the  grandsire  of  Glenwood  Girl  2d.  Materna  came  from  a  very 
good  milking  strain,  her  dam  being  Nerissa  of  Geneva  848.  In 
1893  Materna  was  first-prize  Guernsey  cow  at  the  Columbian 
Exposition  at  Chicago  and  highest  ranking  in  the  Guernsey  herd 
test  at  the  Exposition,  in  ninety  days  producing  3512  pounds  of 
milk  containing  153.39  pounds  of  fat.  Materna  dropped  twelve 
calves  between  1884  and  1898,  two  of  which  died  early.  Her 
daughter  Morn  5947  was  dam  of  Standard's  Morning  Glory 
12801,  with  Advanced  Registry  record  of  714.01  pounds  of  fat 
in  a  year  and  granddam  of  Starlight's  Excelsior  7992,  sire  of 
many  tested  daughters. 

The  May  Rose  family  descends  from  May  Rose  1392  F.  S., 
calved  May  12,  1881,  bred  and  owned  by  Pierre  Martel,  La  Masse 
Farm,  Castel,  Guernsey.  Her  ancestry  is  unknown.  Through  her 
daughter  May  Rose  2d  3251  P.  S.  this  family  came  into  special 
fame.  She  won  first  prizes  at  the  Royal  Guernsey  shows  in  1 894, 
1 896,  and  1 897,  and,  exported  to  England,  was  third  at  the  Royal 
Show  the  latter  year.  May  Rose  2d  had  four  sons  and  five  daugh- 
ters. The  sons  were  Paradox  352  E.  G.  H.  B.,  a  noted  show  bull 
in  England ;  Our  Paradox  873  P.  S.;  Jubilee  de  la  Massee  1083 
P.  S.,  later  named  May  Day  1132  E.  G.  H.  B. ;  and  May  King 
1395  E.  G.  H.  B.,  later  known  as  May  Rose  King  8336  (imp.). 


406  CATTLE 

The  daughters  were  May  Rose  3d  3252  P.  S.,  May  Rose  4th  7682 
(imp.),  Rose  of  Gold  3668  P.  S.,  May  Rose  8th  3998  P.  S.,  and 
Itchen  May  Rose  4839  E.  G.  H.  B.  This  family  has  been  dis- 
tinguished not  only  for  a  large  number  of  show  animals  but  also 
for  many  high-testing  cows.  Through  the  sons  of  May  Rose  2d 
remarkable  results  have  been  secured.  May  Day  was  the  sire  of 
May  Day  Pearl  15195  (imp.),  dam  of  Spotswood  Daisy  Pearl 
17696,  with  a  record  of  957.38  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year.  May 
Rose  King  (imported  by  H.  McKay  Twombly  in  1902  at  a  cost 
of  $3500)  proved  a  most  successful  sire,  for  all  of  his  daughters 
entered  the  Advanced  Registry,  and  his  sons  even  surpassed  him. 
The  most  noted  of  his  sons  is  King  of  the  May  9001  (imp.),  sire 
of  Langwater  Rosie  21333,  witn  a  record  of  724.23  pounds  of  fat; 
Langwater  Dorothy  27944,  with  a  record  of  781.65  pounds  of  fat; 
and  Langwater  Hope  27946,  with  a  record  of  19882  pounds  of 
milk  and  1003.17  pounds  of  fat,  each  within  a  year.  Beda's  May 
King  1 1893,  another  son  of  May  Rose  King,  has  been  a  success- 
ful sire,  having  many  daughters  in  the  Advanced  Registry.  This, 
without  question,  is  the  most  popular  family  at  the  present  day.  In 
1914  L.  E.  P.  Smith  wrote l  that  "  an  investigation  of  the  English 
herdbooks  to  and  including  Volume  XXIX,  shows  that  there  have 
been  recorded  almost  precisely  500  female  descendants  of  May 
Rose  2d.  There  were  approximately  250  remaining  in  the  Eng- 
lish herds,  140  have  died,  100  have  been  imported  to  America, 
and  10  have  been  exported  to  South  America,  Australia,  and  New 
South  Wales,  and  even  to  China.  The  same  records  show  approxi- 
mately 200  male  descendants  of  May  Rose  2d.  Of  this  number 
only  35  now  remain  in  England,  1 30  have  died  or  been  slaughtered, 
25  imported  to  America,  and  10  exported  to  Australia  and  South 
America." 

The  Tricksey  family  descends  from  Tricksey  1760  (imp.),  bred 
on  Guernsey  by  John  Gibson  of  St.  Martins  and  imported  to 
America  by  S.  C.  Kent.  She  changed  hands  several  times, 
finally  reaching  the  Minnesota  Experiment  Station.  A  daughter, 
Tricksey  3d  3191,  and  a  son,  Benjamin  1931,  were  her  most 
potent  offspring.  Benjamin,  in  the  herd  of  C.  L.  Hill  of 
Wisconsin,  was  very  successful  as  a  show  bull  and  a  sire.  Ben 

1  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal* 


TIIK  GUERNSEY 


407 


Bishop  3506,  a  son  of  Benjamin,  was  sire  of  a  number  of  ani- 
mals in  the  Advanced  Registry,  and  his  son  Glenwood  Bishop 
9186  was  the  sire  of  Glenwood's  Buttercup  48137,  with  a  record 
of  769.82  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year.  Suke  of  Rosendale  6520,  by 
Benjamin,  was  the  dam  of  Prince  Rosendale  4291,  well  known 
as  a  show  bull  and  as  a  sire  of  cows  with  creditable  tests. 

The  Yeksa  family  descends  from  Yeksa  2426,  bred  by  I.  J. 
Clapp  of  Wisconsin  and  calved  April  12,  1885.  She  was  a  heavy 
milker  and  is  said  to  have  a  private  record  of  over  600  pounds  of 
butter  as  a  three-year- 
old.  She  had  one  son, 
Yeksa 's  Prince  1943, 
and  two  daughters, 
Queen  Vashti  6051 
and  Bonny  Jean  3646. 
This  son  was  the  sire 
of  Yeksa  Sunbeam 
15439,  the  record  of 
which  in  1904-1905  of 
1 4,92 1  pounds  of  milk 
and  857.1  pounds  of 
fat  was  the  first  notable 
feat  of  production  by 
a  cow  of  the  breed  and 
resulted  in  attracting 
much  attention  to  this  line  of  breeding.  Queen  Vashti  was 
the  dam  of  Queen  Deette  9794,  with  a  record  of  669.82 
pounds  of  fat  in  a  year,  and  of  Yeksa's  Queen  6631,  whose  son 
Guydette  3966  was  sire  of  Yeksarose  16610,  with  a  record  of 
678.16  pounds  of  fat.  A  grandson  of  Yeksa's  Queen  in  this 
line,  Endymion  8916,  sired  a  number  of  Advanced-Registry 
daughters,  including  Endymion's  Primrose  23795,  with  test  of 
848.88  pounds  of  fat  in  a  year.  Lord  Yeksa  6451,  another 
grandson,  sired  Yeksa's  Tops  of  Gold's  Fannie  22362,  with  a 
record  of  19,795  pounds  of  milk  and  981.53  pounds  of  fat  in  a 
year.  This  family  has  combined  show-yard  and  producing  merit 
in  a  high  degree.  For  some  years  following  the  test  of  Yeksa 
Sunbeam  cattle  of  this  family  were  in  great  demand. 


FIG.  176.    Lord  Yeksa  6451,  owned  by  J.  H.  Beirne, 

Oakfield,  Wisconsin.    A  very  successful  sire.    From 

photograph,  in  1904,  by  the  author 


408 


CATTLE 


The  ten  leading  Guernsey  sires  up  to  August  i,  1918,  as  based 
on  the  records  of  their  daughters  and  sons  in  the  Advanced 
Registry  of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  are  as  follows : 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

YEAR 

CALVED 

A.R. 
DAUGH- 
TERS 

A.R. 

SONS 

i.  Governor  of  the  Chene  (R.  G.  A.  S.  1297  P.  S.) 
2.  Masher's  Sequel  11462  A.  R.  (imp.)  
3.  Galaxy's  Sequel  16904  A.  R.  (imp.)    
4.  Cora's  Governor  of  Chilmark  8971  A.  R.  {imp.) 
5.  Justinees'  Sequel  of  the  Preel  (R.G.  A.  S.  2119 
P  S  )  A  R 

1904 
1900 
1904 
I903 

IQO7 

76 

68 
40 
40 

1  e 

18 

22 

'9 
3 

6.  Masher  (R.G.A.S.  63  F.S.)  A.R  ,    . 
7.  Princess's  Jewel  24877  A.  R.  (imp.)    
8.  Lord  Mar  14359  A.  R.  (imp.)      .         

1904 
1904 

IQOC 

Jj 

31 
28 
vt 

8 
i 

9.  Glenwood's  Mainstay  6067  A.  R  
10.  Glenwood  Boy  of  Haddon  4605  A.  R  

1899 
1895 

26 
26 

15 
M 

Prices  paid  for  Guernsey  cattle  in  recent  years  have  attracted 
much  attention.  In  the  United  States  good  cows  of  the  breed 
have  been  in  strong  demand  since  the  Columbian  Exposition  test 
in  1893,  but  for  many  years  following  this  date  no  abnormal  prices 
were  paid  for  Guernseys.  In  1910  F.  L.  Ames  of  Massachusetts 
paid  $2000  for  the  cow  Imp.  France  8th  21262,  and  Chestnut 
Hill  Farm  of  Ohio,  the  same  year,  paid  $2000  for  the  bull  Galaxy's 
Sequel  16904  (imp.),  these  being  at  that  time  the  top  prices  on 
this  breed.  In  August,  1911,  the  bull  George  Washington  of 
Fairfield  Farm  10866  was  sold  by  Corydon  Peck  to  C.  D.  Ettin- 
ger  of  Illinois  for  $3500,  and  late  this  same  year  F.  L.  Ames 
sold  to  M.  H.  Tichenor  of  Wisconsin  a  bull  calf  out  of  Dollie 
Dimple  for  $6000.  In  1914  the  noted  cow  May  Rilma  22761 
was  sold  by  E.  B.  Cassatt  of  Pennsylvania  to  John  P.  Crozier  of 
the  same  state  for  $5010.  Since  the  opening  of  the  World  War 
prices  have  increased  by  leaps  and  bounds.  On  October  10,  1916, 
at  a  sale  at  Langwater  Farms,  North  Easton,  Massachusetts,  74 
head  brought  $80,625,  an  average  of  $1075.  C.  L.  A.  Whitney 
of  New  York  paid  $6150  for  Langwater  Dairymaid  26377,  and 
John  A.  Ames  bought  Langwater  Generous  41958  for  $5000. 
H.  G.  Lapham  of  Massachusetts  bought  Langwater  Easter  Lily 


THE  GUERNSEY 


409 


39269  and  Langwater  Pear  26605  at  $4200  each.  On  May  16, 
1918,  a  combination  sale  was  held  at  Lake  Forest,  Illinois,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  when  67 
animals  brought  $102,925,  an  average  of  $1536  each.  The  top 
price  was  $10,000  for  the  bull  Don  Diavolo  of  Linda  Vista  23565, 
bought  from  Dr.  C.  G.  Parnell  of  Michigan  by  John  C.  Haartz  of 
New  Hampshire.  The  highest-priced  cow  was  Langwater  Luxury 


FIG.  177.    Violet  IV  of  Corbinez  32405  (imp.),  a  Guernsey  cow  with  official  record 

of  16,336  pounds  milk  and  756.72  pounds  fat.    Owned  by  Waddington  Farm,  Elm 

Grove,  West  Virginia.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owner 

49484,  by  Imp.  King  of  the  May  9001,  sold  by  F.  L.  Ames  for 
$$  300  to  Frank  D.  Stout  of  Wisconsin.  Langwater  Amiable  49480, 
by  Langwater  Stars  and  Stripes  21872,  consigned  by  Mr.  Ames, 
was  sold  to  Burnside  Farm  of  Maryland  for  $5000.  In  1918 
W.  G.  Jamison  and  Sons  of  Wisconsin  sold  to  W.  H.  Dupee  of 
California  the  bull  Pencoyd's  Golden  May  Secret  39626  for 
$10,100,  while  late  in  1918  C.  D.  Cleveland  of  New  Jersey  .sold 
the  bull  Florham  Autocrat  25749  to  A.  T.  Herd  of  Pennsylvania 
for  $14,500.  This  same  year  1318  Guernseys  sold  at  public  sales 
for  an  average  price  of  $330.  The  220  cows  brought  an  average 


4IO 


CATTLE 


of  $574,  and  517  heifers  averaged  $305.  On  May  15,  1919, 
Florham  Farms  of  New  Jersey  established  a  new  Guernsey  sale 
record.  Eighty-three  head  sold  for  $180,275,  an  average  of 
$2172  per  head.  Eight  bulls  brought  $44,800,  averaging  $5600. 
Fifty-six  animals  exceeded  the  $1000  mark.  A  two-months-old 
bull  calf,  Florham  Leader,  by  Ne  Plus  Ultra  15265  and  out  of 
Langwater  Nancy  27943,  sold  for  $25,000  to  Oakes  Farms  and 
Hugh  Bancroft  of  Massachusetts.  The  cow  Follyland  Nancy 
52457  sold  for  $12,500  to  J.  L.  Hope,  Madison,  New  Jersey. 


FIG.  178.    A  map  showing  the  comparative  distribution  of  the  Guernsey  over  the 
United  States  in  1917.    By  courtesy  of  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club 

The  distribution  of  the  Guernsey  breed  is  mainly  limited  to 
Guernsey  island,  England,  the  United  States,  Australia,  and 
Canada.  The  breed  is  popular  in  England,  and  many  fine  herds 
have  long  been  maintained  in  that  country,  especially  in  midland 
and  southern  counties.  In  the  United  States  the  breed  has  its 
principal  foothold  in  the  states  north  of  the  Ohio  and  east  of 
the  Mississippi.  According  to  the  annual  report  of  the  secretary 
of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  up  to  1918  there  were 
678  members  in  the  club,  the  Middle  Atlantic  section  having 
37.58  per  cent;  New  England,  18.58  ;  Wisconsin,  16.48  ;  Central 
states,  12.78  ;  South  Atlantic  states,  6.24  ;  Central  Western  states, 
4.31  ;  Pacific  coast,  3.57;  and  Canada,  46  per  cent.  According 
to  the  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal,  in  1917  Wisconsin  led  all 


THE  GUERNSEY  411 

other  states  with  11,454  Guernsey  cattle  registered,  New  York 
ranking  second  with  6311.  Guernseys  have  a  considerable  foot- 
hold in  Australia  and  New  South  Wales,  and  a  few  animals  have 
been  exported  to  France,  Japan,  Brazil,  Cuba,  Central  America,  etc. 
Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Guernsey  interests  exist  on 
Guernsey  and  in  England  and  the  United  States.  The  Royal 
Guernsey  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Society  has  for  many 
years  supervised  the  registration  and  promotion  of  Guernseys 
on  the  island.  Two  herdbooks  are  maintained  —  one  for  general 
registration,  the  other  for  Advanced  Registry.  Up  to  1918  twenty- 
nine  volumes  of  the  island  herdbook  had  been  published.  The 
English  Guernsey  Cattle  Society  was  organized  in  1885  and  has, 
up  to  1918,  published  thirty-five  herdbooks.  The  American  Guern- 
sey Cattle  Club  was  organized  in  1877  in  New  York  City  and  has, 
up  to  1918,  published  about  thirty-two  herd  registers.  These  were 
for  years  published  in  book  form,  but  in  1913  they  became  a 
part  of  the  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal,  a  semimonthly  of  merit 
devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  breed.  Independent  volumes 
of  the  herdbook  must  now  be  made  up  from  the  herdbook  pages 
of  this  journal. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

THE  AYRSHIRE 

The  native  home  of  the  Ayrshire  is  in  southwestern  Scotland 
in  the  county  of  Ayr,  from  which  the  breed  derives  its  name. 
Ayr  is  triangularly  crescent  in  shape,  its  southern  tip  just  touch- 
ing latitude  55°  N.,  its  western  boundary  somewhat  indented  and 
bordering  the  Irish  Sea  and  river  Clyde,  its  other  sides  skirted 
by  the  counties  of  Renfrew,  Lanark,  Dumfries,  Kirkcudbright, 
and  Wigtown.  There  is  an  extreme  length  of  about  80  miles, 
with  an  area  of  about  1150  square  miles.  Rather  poor  and  sandy 
land  occurs  in  the  southern  part  toward  the  sea,  while  much  beau- 
tiful rolling  pasture  land  of  fair  soil  is  found  more  inland,  with 
rougher  land  on  the  eastern  borders  rising  to  a  height  of  2000 
feet.  On  the  better  lands,  which  are  clayey,  roots,  grass,  oats,  and 
wheat  are  largely  grown  and  there  is  abundance  of  summer  graz- 
ing. The  climate  is  very  moist,  and  the  bitterness  of  a  northern 
winter  is  somewhat  tempered  by  the  sea. 

The  origin  of  the  Ayrshire  has  been  in  the  main  a  complex 
one.  Aiton,  the  first  and  almost  only  early  authority  on  the 
breed,  wrote  "  A  Survey  of  Ayrshire  "  about  181 1.  He  regarded 
it  as  the  native  breed  of  Ayr  improved  by  certain  other  stock. 
Some  time  about  1770  Teeswater  cattle,  Shorthorn,  or  similar 
stock  were  introduced  into  Ayrshire.  John  Dunlop  of  Dunlop 
is  credited  with  importing  cows  of  large  size,  of  either  Teeswater, 
Dutch,  or  Lincoln  breeds,  and  in  1805  Dunlop  stock  is  referred 
to  by  Forsythe  as  having  been  established  in  the  parish  of  that 
name  for  over  a  century.  Other  writers  claim  that  the  cattle 
of  the  Channel  Islands  crossed  with  Shorthorns  were  early  used 
in  Ayrshire.  About  1818  West  Highland  cattle  were  used  by 
Mr.  Parton  near  Dairy,  Ayr,  on  a  superior  herd  of  Ayrshires. 
Devon  and  Hereford  blood  are  also  said  to  have  been  used  by 
other  breeders.  The  earliest  accounts  of  the  cattle  of  Ayrshire 
show  them  to  have  been  black  and  white.  About  1780  red  and 

412 


THE  AYRSHIRE 


413 


white  became  fashionable,  while  from  1785  to  1805  brown-and- 
white  mottled  cattle  were  much  preferred ;  later,  in  1 8 1  o,  red 
and  white  was  a  common  color.  These  latter  colors  of  brown, 
red,  and  white  have  been  carried  down  to  the  present  time.  Thus 
it  is  apparent  that  the  Ayrshire  as  a  breed  is  evolved  from  a  variety 
of  blood,  mainly  from  types  associated  with  larger  milking  capacity. 

The  early  improv- 
ers of  the  Ayrshire 
were  not  notably  dis- 
tinguished over  the 
general  run  of  breeders 
who  seek  to  improve 
local  cattle.  It  was 
early  evident  that  the 
people  laid  importance 
on  milk  production. 
Forsythe,  a  Scotch- 
man, writes  in  1805  of 
cows  yielding  from  24 
to  30  quarts  of  milk 
daily;  and  in  1829 
William  Harley  states 
that  he  had  cows  that 
occasionally  gave  2  5 


FIG.  179.    Baron's  Best  of  Bargenock  12858  (imp.), 

an  Ayrshire  bull  in  Highland  Farm  herd,  Bryn  Mawr, 

Pennsylvania.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


to  30  quarts  in  one  day 
and  even  produced  40 
quarts  in  this  time.  In 

1836  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland  offered 
a  large  premium  to  be  competed  for  by  the  breed.  In  1848,  in  a 
prize  essay,1  Keary  states  that  Ayrshires  are  of  two  distinct  sorts  : 
the  native  breed,  a  small,  light-boned  animal,  and  the  Dunlop 
Ayrshire  (a  cross  between  the  native  breed  and  the  Holderness), 
which  is  much  larger.  The  small  breed  is  considered  of  the  best 
quality.  There  are  herds  of  Dunlop  Ayrshires,  as  well  as  of  the 
native  breed,  in  many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  esteemed  for  their 
excellent  milking  qualities.  By  1850  Ayrshires  were  the  prevail- 
ing stock  in  Ayr  and  also  in  Renfrew  and  Lanark  counties.  In 

1  Journal  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  Vol  IX,  p.  442. 


4H  CATTLE 

1853  the  first  systematic  effort  at  improvement  came  in  a  scale 
of  points  adopted  by  the  Ayrshire  Agricultural  Association.  In 
1866,  in  a  prize  essay  on  county  Ayr,  Archibald  Sturrock  writes 
that  "a  capacious  and  well-set  udder  is  certainly  the  chief  point 
of  excellence  in  the  Ayrshire  cow." 

The  introduction  of  the  Ayrshire  to  America  probably  first  oc- 
curred early  in  the  last  century,  when  Scotch  settlers  moved  to 
Canada.  In  the  Memoirs  of  the  Pennsylvania  Agricultural  Society 
for  1824  considerable  discussion  is  devoted  to  breeds  of  cattle, 
yet  the  Ayrshire  is  not  named.  John  Hare  Powell,  the  secretary, 
who  had  studied  the  breeds  in  Europe,  says,  "  I  have  traced  every 
importation  of  which  I  have  heard,"  and  makes  special  reference 
to  eight  different  states  and  various  breeds,  but  does  not  mention 
the  Ayrshire.  Sturtevant  states  that  the  first  importation  into 
the  United  States  is  thought  to  have  been  made  in  1822  by 
H.  W.  Hills  to  Windsor,  Connecticut.  In  1837  the  Massachusetts 
Society  for  Promoting  Agriculture  imported  one  cow,  which  is 
reported  to  have  yielded  sixteen  pounds  of  butter  a  week  for 
several  weeks.  Lewis  F.  Allen  of  New  York  writes  that  in  1837 
he  visited  the  Ayrshire  herd  of  John  P.  dishing  near  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  who  had  imported  from  Ayrshire  regardless  of 
price.  In  1848  E.  A.  Brown  introduced  Ayrshires  to  Ohio,  these 
being  the  first  of  this  dairy  breed  to  enter  the  state. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Ayrshire  breed  of  cattle  are  very 
distinctive.  The  head,  from  a  profile  standpoint,  has  a  some- 
what straight  line  from  poll  to  nose,  the  eyes  are  of  fair  promi- 
nence, and  the  horns  are  somewhat  large,  though  not  coarse,  and 
are  erect  of  carriage.  Modern  Ayrshire  horns,  besides  being  erect 
and  widespread,  frequently  curve  slightly  backward  at  the  dark- 
colored  tips.  The  horns  of  some  aged  bulls  are  remarkably  large 
and  conspicuous  and,  as  a  rule,  are  brought  to  the  desired  form 
by  mechanical  device.  The  Ayrshire  iieck  is  hardly  as  lean  as 
that  of  a  Jersey,  the  withers  are  attractive  in  refinement,  the 
shoulder  tends  to  be  smooth,  and  the  body  deep  of  rib  and  of 
large  digestive  capacity.  The  rump  is  usually  broad,  long,  and 
well  carried,  while  the  thighs  and  hind  quarters  partake  some- 
what of  fleshiness,  enough  so  in  the  Ayrshire  steer  to  produce 
in  many  cases  a  creditable  hind  quarter  for  the  butcher.  A  good 


THE  AYRSHIRE  415 

type  of  the  breed  exhibits  considerable  depth  of  body  and  short 
rather  than  long  legs.  The  udder  of  the  Ayrshire  has  been  the 
cause  of  much  discussion  in  recent  years.  The  most  approved 
form  is  carried  up  high  behind,  extends  well  forward  under  the 
belly,  with  the  underside  or  sole  (as  it  is  sometimes  termed)  level 
and  free  from  a  deep  groove  between  right  and  left  gland,  and 
with  teats  of  good  size  well  placed  at  each  quarter.  This  type  of 
fleshy  udder  has  been  the*  source  of  much  serious  criticism  in  the 


FIG.  180.    Netherhall  Good  Time  11447  (imp.),  an  Ayrshire  bull  owned  by  Bran- 
ford  Farms,  Groton,  Connecticut.    This  is  a  good  representative  of  the  modern 
type  of  mature  Ayrshire  bull.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of 
the  American  Agriculturist 

Scotch  press,  and  it  has  been  repeatedly  pointed  out  that  the  cow 
with  this  sort  of  udder  was  the  result  of  catering  to  an  American 
fad.  From  a  show  point  of  view  more  uniformity  obtains  in  a 
ring  of  aged  Ayrshire  cows  than  with  any  other  breed.  In  quality 
Ayrshires  are  not  superior  to  other  breeds. 

The  color  of  the  Ayrshire  includes  red,  brown,  and  white.  In 
1875  Sturtevant  quoted  as  follows  from  a  letter  from  Robert 
Wilson,  a  breeder  in  Scotland : 

Colors  of  Ayrshires  are  much  the  same  since  I  can  remember;  different 
breeders  have  their  particular  color.  Light  yellow,  though  common  with  some 


41 6  CATTLE 

breeders,  is  not  the  most  common  color.  Red  and  white  flecked,  though  it 
should  incline  a  little  to  yellowish  or  brown,  is  more  a  prevailing  color  of  the 
breed ....  White,  if  there  be  .not  roan  mixed  with  it,  I  do  not  consider  a 
proof  of  the  presence  of  Shorthorn  blood.  Our  favorite  colors  are  white  flecked 
or  red  bodies  and  white  legs.  Dark  reds  and  black  muzzles  are  favorites  also. 

In  1875  Sturtevant  published  statistics  of  a  color  classification 
of  2852  Ayrshires  in  the  United  States,  of  which  2014,  or 
70.61  per  cent,  were  red  and  white;  2*22,  or  7.78  per  cent,  red 
or  mostly  red;  241,  or  8.45  per  cent,  brown  and  white;  and 
194,  or  6.80  per  cent,  white  and  red,  the  balance  being  split 
into  various  colors.  The  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  scale  of 
points  has  specified  red  of  any  shade  ;  brown  ;  or  these  with  white  ; 
mahogany  and  white ;  or  white, —  each  color  distinctly  defined. 
Brindle  is  allowed,  but  is  regarded  as  undesirable.  Professor 
A.  C.  McCandlish  has  recently  written l  regarding  black-and- 
white  Ayrshires,  of  which  he  says  there  are  several  herds  in 
Scotland,  the  origin  of  which  may  be  considered  obscure  and 
derived  from  many  sources  rather  than  one.  The  most  popular 
Ayrshire  color  shows  a  greater  percentage  of  white  than  of  red 
or  brown,  these  colors  being  in  solid  blotches.  The  old-fashioned 
flecked  marking  is  not  looked  on  with  favor  by  color  faddists. 
Many  Ayrshires  of  to-day  are  very  largely  white,  as,  for  example, 
the  $6000  bull  Penshurst  Mischief  Maker,  all  white  excepting  a 
small  bit  of  dark  color  by  the  tail  head  and  upper  thigh  and  on 
neck  and  face.  Addington  Queen  3d  29558,  one  of  the  great 
cows  of  the  breed,  has  even  less  dark  color  than  Penshurst 
Mischief  Maker.  This  matter  of  color  is  purely  a  fad  and  should 
not  be  allowed  to  interfere  with  breed  improvement. 

The  size  of  the  Ayrshire  is  fairly  uniform.  The  American 
standard  calls  for  the  mature  bull  to  weigh  not  less  than  1500 
and  the  cow  1000  pounds.  The  Scotch  standard  favors  a  cow 
weighing  about  1050  pounds.  Sturtevant  gives  the  weights  of 
nine  pure-bred  aged  cows  in  his  herd  which  varied  from  985  to 
1 200  pounds.  The  cows  in  Mr.  Winslow's  herd  from  1881  to 
1887.  showed  an  average  yearly  weight  of  from  1020  to  1102 
pounds  per  head.  Referring  to  the  subject  of  size  an  official 
circular  from  the  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  states  that  at 

1  The  Ayrshire  Quarterly  (January,  1918),  Vol.  Ill,  No.  4,  p.  24. 


THE  AYRSHIRE 


417 


maturity  a  cow  of  the  breed  weighs  "  f rom  about  1000  pounds 
to  1 200,  sometimes  going  as  high  as  1400  or  1500." 

The  temperament  and  disposition  of  the  Ayrshire  suggests 
something  of  the  freedom  associated  with  the  Scotch  hills. 
There  is  hardly  the  docility  found  in  some  breeds  reared  in 
close  restraint,  as,  for  example,  the  Jersey  or  Brown  Swiss,  never- 
theless the  Ayrshire  is  quiet  enough  for  all  practical  purposes. 

The  Ayrshire  for 
early  maturity  is  more 
comparable  with  the 
Holstein-Friesian  than 
the  Jersey.  The  males 
frequently  do  not  show 
strong  sex  character, 
as  expressed  in  head 
and  neck,  until  reach- 
ing well  into  yearling 
age.  The  heifers  also 

are  somewhat  slow  in  mm  •• 

developing  the  mater- 
nal character  of  ten  seen 
in  some  breeds.  These 

.  FIG.  181.    Rena  Ross  14539,  an  aged  Ayrshire  cow 

qualities,  however,  are      owned  by  Highland  Farm,  Bryn  Mawr,  Pennsylvania. 

fully    developed    when     Rena  Ross  is  one  of  the  greatest  reproducing  cows 

at   full    maturitV  °^  recoi~d-    The    m°ther  and   five   daughters    have 

thirteen  records  averaging  13,114  pounds  milk  and 

°r      532.84  pounds  fat.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

grade  Ayrshire  is  better 

suited  to  milk  production  than  anything  else.  Consequently  Ayr- 
shire bulls  on  grade  cows  will  improve  the  herd  to  greater  milk- 
producing  power  and  may  add  to  their  selling  value  to  the  butcher 
if  used  on  Jersey  grades. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Ayrshire  is  one  of  its  distinguishing 
features.  In  Scotland  one  may  see  ample  evidence  of  the  impress 
of  pure-bred  bulls  on  the  grade  herds  of  the  country.  The  well- 
bred  Ayrshire  bull  transmits  in  marked  degree  his  color  and  the 
head  and  udder  characteristics. 

The  Advanced  Registry  system  of  the  Ayrshire  Breeders* 
Association  was  inaugurated  in  1902-1903  for  the  purpose  of 


CATTLE 


making  official  tests  of  cows  owned  by  members  of  the  association. 
Up  to  1908  but  1 20  cows  and  heifers  had  been  admitted  to 
Advanced  Registry.  Since  this  period,  however,  a  great  increase 
in  testing  has  taken  place,  so  that  by  1918  a  total  of  2799  cows 
and  heifers  had  made  acceptable  records.  The  essential  features 
of  Advanced  Registry  testing  of  Ayrshires  are  as  follows :  the 
tests  are  conducted  under  the  supervision  of  a  state  agricultural 
experiment  station  or  agricultural  college  official.  All  tests  are  for 
one  year  from  time  of  freshening  or  until  the  cow  comes  dry  from 

that  freshening.  There 
are  four  cow  classes  : 
two-year,  three-year, 
four-year,  and  five- 
year  or  older.  In  the 
two-year  form  :  "  If 
her  record  begins  the 
day  she  is  two  years 
old,  or  be  fore  that  time, 
she  shall,  to  entitle  her 
to  record,  give  not  less 
than  6000  pounds  of 
milk  in  three  hundred 

FIG.  182.   Judy  of  Knockdon,  a  first-prize  Ayrshire  and  sixty-five  COnSCCU- 

cow  at  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  Show.  tjyg  daVS  from  the  be- 

Owned  by  Alexander  Cross,  Knockdon,  Maybole,  .       .          £ 

Scotland.    From  photograph  by  the  author  ginning  of  the  test,  and 

214.3  pounds  of  butter 

fat,  and  for  each  day  she  is  over  two  years  old  at  time  of  begin- 
ning the  test  there  shall  be  added  1.37  pounds  of  milk  to  the 
6000  pounds  and  .06  pound  of  butter  fat  to  the  214.3  pounds." 
In  the  three-year  form  6500  pounds  of  milk  and  236  pounds  of 
fat  are  required,  with  2.74  pounds  milk  and  .12  pound  fat  added 
for  each  day  she  is  over  three  years  old  at  time  of  beginning  the 
test.  In  the  four-year  form  7500  pounds  of  milk  and  279  pounds 
of  fat  are  required,  and  in  the  mature  form  8500  pounds  of  milk 
and  322  pounds  of  fat.  A  bull,  to  be  admitted  to  Advanced  Reg- 
istry, must  be  typical  of  the  breed,  score  at  least  80  points^  and 
have  two  daughters  from  different  dams  in  the  Advanced  Registry ; 
or  he  may  be  admitted  without  physical  qualifications  and  scoring 


THE  AYRSHIRE 


419 


if  he  has  four  daughters  in  the  records,  each  from  different 
dams.  Official  testing  is  also  conducted  in  Canada  and  by  the 
Ayr  Society  for  Milk  Record,  in  Scotland. 

The  Ayrshire  as  a  milk  producer  has  been  regarded  with  favor 
for  over  a  century,  and  it  is  this  quality  that  has  been  sought 
from  the  first.  In  1811  Aiton  wrote  that  probably  1200  Scotch 
pints  (2148  quarts)  of  milk  from  each  cow  in  the  course  of  a 


FIG.  183.   Jean  Armour  25487,  foundress  of  the  Jean  Armour  family  of  Ayrshires. 

Not  only  was  she  a  great  show  cow  but  she  has  an  official  record  of  20,174  pounds 

milk  and  774.73  pounds  fat  in  a  year.    Owned  by  Mrs.  F.  D.  Erhardt,  West  Berlin, 

Vermont.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Agriculturist 

year  would  be  a  fair  average.  In  1829  Harley,  a  famous  dairy- 
man, placed  the  average  of  his  herd  at  1 2  quarts  a  day.  One  of 
his  cows  for  a  considerable  time  gave  40  quarts  per  day.  In  the 
earlier  records  kept  in  the  United  States  the  annual  yields  ranged 
from  about  5000  to  7000  pounds.  A  number  of  New  England 
herd  records  were  kept  continuously  for  years,  beginning  in  1873 
or  1874,  notably  by  Sturtevant  Brothers  and  J.  W.  D.  French  of 
Massachusetts  and  L.  S.  Drew  and  C.  M.  Winslow  of  Vermont, 
the  latter  for  many  years  secretary  of  the  Ayrshire  Breeders' 
Association.  Up  to  1900  but  few  cows  of  the  breed  produced 


420 


CATTLE 


over  10,000  pounds  of  milk  in  a  year,  the  best-known  record 
previous  to  that  time  being  that  of  Polly  Puss  16296  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  12,632  pounds,  official  test.  In  1885  the  cow  Duchess  of 
Smithfield  4256  created  much  favorable  comment  by  producing 
in  a  seven-day  test  463!  pounds  of  milk,  from  which  was  made 
19  pounds  6  ounces  of  butter.  Since  the  year  1900  very  great 
improvement  in  production  has  taken  place  with  this  breed,  and 
up  to  1919  eight  mature  cows  and  one  three-year-old  had  made 
official  records  of  over  20,000  pounds  of  milk  each.  Following 
are  the  ten  leading  official  milk  records  previous  to  January  I,  1919. 


TEN  LEADING  OFFICIAL  MILK  RECORDS  OF  AYRSHIRE  Cows  TO 


1919 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

AGE 

YEAR  OF 
RECORD 

POUNDS  OF 
MILK 

Garclausrh  May  Mischief  27944  .  ... 

IO 

IQI4.-IQI? 

-7  r  -?2Q 

Auchenbrain  Brown  Kate  4th  27943  .  .  . 
Lily  of  Willowmoor  22269  
Garclaucrh  Spottie  27050 

1912-1913 
1912-1913 
IQI4 

23,022 
22,596 

->"  t;8o 

Jean  Armour  3d  3^219  

T. 

iQit;—  1016 

--o°y 
-?i,cn8 

Auchenbrain  Yellow  Kate  3d  36910  .... 
Gerranton  Dora  2d  23853  
Jean  Armour  25487 

I"7 

1914-1915 
1911-1912 

IQI  I     IQI  "> 

21,123 
21,023 

•7Q     T  7  A 

Canary  Bell  25748  
August  Lassie  ''9581 

9 

7 

1917-1918 

1016—  IQI  7 

19,863 

IQ  zS'* 

The  Canadian  cow  Grandview  Rose  40395,  the  first  cow  in 
Canada  to  pass  the  2O,ooo-pound  mark,  has  a  record  of  21,423 
pounds  of  milk,  placing  her  high  in  the  above  class.  The  ten 
leading  milk  records  in  each  class  of  the  Advanced  Registry 
to  March,  1919,  range  from  an  average  of  21,741  pounds  for 
mature  cows  to  14,036  pounds  for  the  junior  two-year-olds  — 
an  average  for  the  best  seventy  cows  of  15,779  pounds.  One 
senior  two-year-old  —  Henderson's  Dairy  Gem  35176  —  has  to 
her  credit  17,974  pounds  of  milk.  The  greatest  continuous  pro- 
ducer of  the  breed  is  Lily  of  Willowmoor  22269,  sne  having  in 
five  years  produced  a  total  of  84,991  pounds  of  milk  —  an  average 
of  16,991  pounds  per  year  —  and  3362  pounds  of  butter  fat. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  examples  of  Ayrshire  milk 
production  on  record  up  to  1919. 


THE  AYRSHIRE 


421 


The  Ayrshire  in  butter-fat  production  is  subordinate  to  the 
Holstein-Friesian,  Guernsey,  and  Jersey.  Fair  samples  of  the 
milk  average  3.5  to  4  per  cent  fat  and  about  12.5  per  cent  total 
solids.  The  average  fat  content  of  the  seventy  leading  cows  and 
heifers  in  the  Advanced  Registry  records  to  January,  1918,  was 
3.89  per  cent.  Tested  cows,  as  a  rule,  show  to  the  best  advantage 
in  this  respect.  In  official  yearly  tests  as  far  back  as  1900  a  record 
of  500  pounds  of  fat  was  regarded  as  very  good  indeed.  In  1908 
the  secretary  of  the  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  reported  that 
fifty-one  mature  cows  in  the  Advanced  Registry  produced  an  aver- 
age of  436  "  pounds  of  butter."  Great  progress  has  been  made 
since  then,  so  that  up  to  January,  1919,  some  surprisingly  large 
official  records  in  butter  fat  have  been  produced,  as  shown  below. 


TEN  LEADING  OFFICIAL  BUTTER-FAT  RECORDS  OF  AYRSHIRE  Cows 

TO     1919 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

AGE 

YEAR  OF 
RECORD 

BUTTER  FAT 

POUNDS 

PER  CENT 

Lily  of  Willowmoor  22269    

IO 

3 
7 
4 

IO 

1912-1913 
1912-1913 
1914-1915 
1914-1915 
1915-1916 
1916-1917 
1914-1915 
1914- 
1911-1912 
1911-1912 

955-S6 
917.60 
894.91 
888.33 
859.65 

831-5° 
821.45 
816.25 
804.79 
774-73 

4-23 

3-99 

3-53 
4.21 

3-92 
4-25 
4-65 
3.61 

3-83 
3-84 

Auchenbrain  Brown  Kate  4th  27943     . 
Garclaugh  May  Mischief  27944     .     .    . 
Auchenbrain  Yellow  Kate  3d  36910 
Jean  Armour  ^d  'i^^io      

August  Lassie  29581      

Agnes  Wallace  of  Maple  Grove  25171 
Garclaugh  Spottie  27950  

Gerranton  Dora  ''d  238^3     ... 

Jean  Armour  '''5487        

The  ten  leading  records  in  the  mature  class  of  Advanced 
Registry  cows  average  851.69  pounds  fat,  while  the  junior  two- 
year-olds  average  532.84  pounds.  The  average  of  the  seventy 
leading  cows  and  heifers  to  March,  1919,  is  617.37  pounds. 
The  best  record  of  a  two-year-old  is  that  of  738.32  pounds, 
made  by  Henderson's  Dairy  Gem  35176.  The  average  record 
of  3243  cows  and  heifers  in  the  Advanced  Registry  up  to 
March  6,  1919,  is  given  as  380.47  pounds  butter  fat,  the  milk 
testing  3.96  per  cent. 


422 


CATTLE 


Ayrshires  in  public  tests  have  stood  well.  In  the  Pan-American 
dairy-breed  test  in  1901  the  five  Ayrshires  for  one  hundred  and 
twenty  days  ranked  second  in  milk  production,  yielding  32,998.2 
pounds  milk,  compared  with  39,260.2  for  the  Holstein-Friesian ; 
fourth  in  estimated  butter,  1434.7  pounds;  and  second  in  net 
profit,  $242.24.  It  is  but  fair  to  state  in  this  connection  that 
the  Pan-American  specimens  of  Ayrshires  in  the  test  were  fine 
examples  of  the  breed,  which  did  not  obtain  with  some  of  the 


FIG.  184.    August  Lassie  29581,  an  Ayrshire  cow  with  an  official  record  in  a  year 

of  19,582  pounds  milk  and  831.5  pounds  fat.    This  cow  shows  very  large  digestive 

capacity  and  unusual  development  of  veins  on  abdomen  and  udder.    Owned  by 

Hilltop  Farm,  Wheeling,  West  Virginia.    From  photograph  by  the  owners 

other  breeds.  The  best  Ayrshire  in  the  test,  Betsey  ist,  pro- 
duced 7041.5  pounds  milk,  which  tested  3.59  per  cent  fat  and 
yielded  in  estimated  butter  298.57  pounds.  She  was  eighth  in 
rank  among  the  fifty  cows,  giving  a  net  profit  of  $46.07,  com- 
pared with  the  Guernsey  Mary  Marshall  ist,  with  a  net  profit  of 
$59.40.  In  comparisons  made  at  various  experiment  stations  and 
at  fairs  the  Ayrshire  has  usually  stood  second  to  the  Holstein- 
Friesian  in  milk  production,  but  above  in  butter  fat. 

Ayrshire  milk  for  cheese-making  has  long  been  a  standard  for 
making  Cheddar  cheese  in  Scotland,  where  it  is  made  on  a  large 
scale  in  the  Ayrshire  district.  Containing  as  it  does  about  the 


THE  AYRSHIRE  423 

standard  amount  of  fat  and  solids  for  cheese-making,  this  milk 
is  regarded  with  favor  for  this  purpose.  In  cheese  tests  at  the 
Ontario  Experimental  Farm  100  pounds  of  Ayrshire  milk  pro- 
duced 12.9  pounds  of  curd,  compared  with  an  average  of  12.8 
for  all  breeds  and  grades. 

The  Ayrshire  as  a  producer  of  beef  ranks  among  the  first  of 
the  dairy  breeds.  It  is  natural  for  animals  of  this  breed  to  carry 
somewhat  more  flesh  than  the  more  refined  dairy  type.  Ayrshire 


FIG.  185.    Pansy's   Daughter  of  South  Farm  37642,  a  very  beautiful  Ayrshire 

heifer  bred  by  John  Sherwin,  Willoughby,  Ohio,  that  sold  at  the  New  England 

Ayrshire  Club  sale  in  1918  for  $4200.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the 

Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association 

steers  feed  to  make. a  very  salable  carcass,  with  a  killing  quality 
more  acceptable  to  the  butcher  than  the  other  dairy  breeds,  lack- 
ing the  high  fat  color  of  the  Jersey  and  Guernsey  and  the  offal 
of  the  Holstein-Friesian.  One  Ayrshire  steer  ten  hundred  and 
ninety-five  days  old  is  reported  by  Henry  to  have  weighed  1320 
pounds,  gained  1.2  pounds  daily,  and  dressed  out  63.3  percent, 
the  poorest  daily  gain  made  by  any  of  eleven  breeds,  but  dressing 
out  better  than  Sussex,  Holstein-Friesian,  Jersey,  or  native.  Other 
evidence  also  indicates  that  Ayrshires  mature  and  feed  slowly. 


424 


CATTLE 


Leading  Ayrshire  sires,  based  on  official  tests  up  to  March, 
1919,  as  published  in    The  Ayrshire  Quarterly,  are  as  follows: 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

TOTAL 
DAUGHTERS 
IN  ADVANCED 
REGISTRY 

AVERAGE 
POUNDS 
OF  MILK 

AVERAGE 
POUNDS 
OF  FAT 

Finlayston  8882 

c  i 

IO  4^1 

A  Of)   Q  C 

Beuchan  Peter  Pan  12971       .                  ... 

j1 

CJ 

o  800 

•5Q'?  77 

Earl's  Choice  of  Spring  Hill  8289      .... 
Nox'  email  7312               ...                  ... 

42 

•JC 

9,061 
0772 

379-45 

172.8I 

White  Cloud  of  Hickory  Island  10377  .    .    . 
Morton's  Mains  Queechy  11537     

32 

^7 

11,276 
0,800 

439.62 
4OO.OI 

Willowmoor  Robin  Hood  11900    
Moonstone  of  Drumsuie  8228    

23 

•7-7 

9,820 

8,778 

431.80 

-2  t:7.O"! 

Howie's  Dairy  King  9855 

-7  I 

1  1  ,60^ 

4.^7  17 

Holehouse  \Vhite  King  10348 

IO 

10  386 

403  1  8 

*y 

The  above  records  are  based  on  the  number  of  daughters  in 
the  Advanced  Registry  rather  than  total  entries,  for  under  the 
latter  an  animal  may  be  entered  several  times,  based  on  retesting ; 
for  example,  Finlayston  has  5 1  daughters,  and  these  are  given 
99  entries  in  the  Advanced  Registry,  he  leading  the  list  in  this 
respect.  However,  Howie's  Dairy  King,  next  to  last  on  the  list, 
with  21  daughters  and  a  total  of  29  entries,  is  the  sire  of  Jean 
Armour  3d,  with  a  record  of  21,938  pounds  of  milk  and  859.65 
pounds  of  fat,  which  fact  gives  this  sire  great  distinction. 

Prices  on  Ayrshire  cattle  until  recently  have  not  been  remarkable 
and  for  many  years  were  within  very  modest  bounds.  In  1910,  at 
the  Lotus  Fields  sale  at  West  Berlin,  Vermont,  37  Ayrshires  sold 
for  $8760,  an  average  of  $236,  on  which  occasion  the  top  price 
for  a  bull  of  the  breed — $1600 — was  paid  for  Bargenoch  Bonnie 
Scotland  11974  by  John  Sherwin  of  Ohio.  The  ten-weeks-old 
calf  Jean  Armour  2d  also  sold  for  $1000  to  William  Hunter  of 
Canada,  and  $1000  was  paid  for  Howie's  Cream  Pot  27965, 
the  champion  cow  of  the  1910  Scottish  shows.  In  1911  Hunter 
and  Sons  of  Ontario,  Canada,  sold  117  head  for  $40,490,  and 
43  cows  averaged  $407.55.  In  1914  Hugh  J.  Chisholm  of 
New  York  paid  $5000  for  Hobsland  Perfect  Piece  (imp.)  10665. 
In  August,  191 5,  the  champion  Ayrshire  cow  Jean  Armour  25487, 
the  property  of  W.  P.  Schanck,  Avon,  New  York,  sold  at 


THE  AYRSHIRE 


425 


auction  for  $4000  to  Mrs.  F.  D.  Erhardt  of  Vermont.  In  1917 
Penshurst  Farm  of  Pennsylvania  sold  Penshurst  Mischief  Maker 
18719,  a  son  of  Garclaugh  May  Mischief,  for  $6000.  On  February 
2,  1918,  at  the  Hillhouse  Farm  bull  sale  at  Kilmarnock,  Scotland, 
19  bulls  sold  for  an  average  of  $778,  eight  of  which  averaged 
$1455.  In  June,  1918,  at  the  New  England  Ayrshire  sale  at 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  38  cows  brought  an  average  of  $702,  the 
top  price  up  to  this  date.  Six  cows  brought  prices  ranging  from 
$1200  to  $4200,  the  top  figure  for  an  Ayrshire  female.  This 
was  paid  for  the  American-bred  cow  Pansy's  Daughter  of  South 
Farm  37642,  sold  by 
John  Sherwin  to  G.  S. 
Mawhinney  of  New 
York.  The  imported 
cow  Lochfergus  Cherry 
33297  sold  for  $3750 
to  P.  Bradley  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. On  Janu- 
ary 15,  1919,  at  the 
sale  of  J.  Logan  of 
Bargenoch,  the  twelve- 
months-old bull  Barge- 
noch Royal  Champion 
sold  to  A.  W.  Mont- 
gomery for  $7455.  At  this  sale  20  bulls  averaged  $700.  On 
February  I,  1919,  at  the  sale  of  James  Howie,  Hillhouse,  Kil- 
marnock, Scotland,  the  bull  calf  Howie's  Hotstuff  17895,  calved 
March  15,  1918,  sold  to  Mrs.  E.  L.  Howison-Crauford  for  $8670. 
Twenty-two  of  the  bull  calves  averaged  $904.  Finally,  all  Ayr- 
shire records  were  shattered  when,  at  the  sale  of  C.  H.  Peverill 
at  Waterloo,  Iowa,  the  yearling  bull  Rosebud  Pride  22359  was 
bought  by  L.  A.  Heisler  of  Iowa  for  $18,000,  while  1 1  bulls 
made  an  average  of  $1767. 

The  distribution  of  the  Ayrshire  is  almost  world-wide.  Con- 
siderable numbers  have  been  exported  from  Scotland  to  Sweden, 
Norway,  Finland,  Russia,  South  Africa,  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
China,  Japan,  Canada,  and  the  United  States.  Quite  a  trade 
'has  sprung  up  between  Scotland  and  Sweden  and  Norway.  In 


FIG.   1 86.    Netherland  Bunty,  a  fine  type  of  Ayr- 
shire and  a  prominent  prize-winner  in   Scotland. 
From  a  Scotch  photograph 


426 


CATTLE 


America  the  breed  is  best  represented  in  Canada,  notably  in 
Ontario  and  Quebec,  while  in  the  United  States  it  is  chiefly 
found  in  the  New  England  and  Eastern  states,  although  a  few 
select  herds  are  found  in  Ohio,  Iowa,  Kansas,  and  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  In  the  Mississippi  Valley  west  of  New  York  the  Ayrshire 
has  never  succeeded  in  securing  but  a  frail  foothold  in  spite  of  its 
evident  merit.  The  breed  seems  to  have  adapted  itself  unusually 
well  to  the  cooler  and  more  hilly  sections,  being  a  good  grazer 
and  thriving  under  not  the  best  of  conditions.  In  fact  the  Ayrshire 
in  Britain  has  been  termed  the  poor  man's  cow,  being  better  able 

to  thrive  on  inferior 
land  and  feed  than 
any  other  breed  ex- 
cepting the  Kerry. 

Organizations  to 
promote  Ayrshire  in- 
terests exist  in  Scot- 
land, Canada,  and  the 
United  States.  In 
1863  a  few  men  or- 
ganized in  Massachu- 
setts and  that  year 
published  Volume  I 
of  the  "Herd  Record 
of  the  Association  of 
Breeders  of  Thorough- 
bred Stock,  Ayrshire."  In  1868  a  second  volume  was  published, 
and  in  1871  Volume  III  appeared  with  the  title  "The  American 
and  Canadian  Ayrshire  Herd  Record."  In  January,  1875,  the 
American  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association,  was  formed,  which 
continued  this  record,  publishing  Volume  IV  that  year.  In  1876 
Volume  V  (old  series),  or  Volume  I  (new  series),  of  the  "Ayr- 
shire Record  "  came  out,  since  which  date  a  total  of  thirty-three 
volumes  (new  series)  has  been  published  up  to  1919.  In  1874 
E.  L.  and  Joseph  Sturtevant  started  a  herdbook,  publishing 
Volume  I  in  1875  as  the  "North  American  Ayrshire  Register," 
this  being  for  cattle  tracing  to  importation.  They  published  four 
volumes,  the  last  in  1880.  The  Ayrshire  Importers'  and  Breeders' 


FIG.  187.  Fairfield  Mains  Jean  6th  33274  (imp.),  a  very 
superior  type  of  Ayrshire  cow  owned  by  Hugh  J.  Chis- 
holm,  Port  Chester,  New  York.  She  has  an  official 
record  of  14,877  pounds  milk  and  467  pounds  fat  in  a 
year.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Chisholm 


THE  AYRSHIRE  427 

Association  of  Canada  was  organized  in  1870,  and  the  Dominion 
Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  in  1889;  in  1898  the  former 
merged  with  the  latter.  In  1884  the  province  of  Ontario  published 
Volume  I  of  the  "  Dominion  Ayrshire  Herdbook."  In  1886  Vol- 
ume I  of  the  "  Montreal  Ayrshire  Herdbook"  was  published,  and 
four  volumes  in  all  issued  as  the  "  Canadian  Ayrshire  Record," 
after  which  it  was  merged  with  the  Dominion  book  into  the 
"  Canadian  Ayrshire  Record,"  Volume  XXVIII  being  published 
in  1919.  The  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association  (American)  also 
provides  for  an  Advanced  Registry  for  both  bulls  and  cows.  The 
Scotch  Ayrshire  Cattle  and  Herdbook  Society  was  founded  in  1-877, 
the  first  volume  of  the  herdbook  appearing  in  1878,  since  when 
forty-one  volumes  have  been  published  up  to  1918  inclusive. 

In  1915  the  Ayrshire  Association  from  its  headquarters  at 
Brandon,  Vermont,  began  the  publication  of  The  Ayrshire 
Quarterly,  a  very  excellent  illustrated  journal  that  is  devoted  to 
the  promotion  of  the  breed.  There  are  a  number  of  state  Ayr- 
shire associations,  as  well  as  district  and  local  clubs  in  both 
Canada  and  the  United  States. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

THE  DUTCH   BELTED 

The  native  home  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  is  Holland,  where  they 
are  known  as  Lakenfelds,  Lakenvelders,  or  Veldlarkers.  The  word 
taken  means  a  sheet  or  blanket  of  white  about  the  body. 

The  origin  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  is  quite  obscure.  F.  R.  Sanders, 
long  a  prominent  breeder  of  these  cattle  in  America,  made  a  trip 
to  Holland  in  1907  especially  to  investigate  the  early  history  and 
present  conditions  of  these  cattle  in  that  country.  He  states1  that 
from  conversation  with  several  of  the  oldest  breeders  in  Holland 
it  is  their  opinion  that  these  cattle  began  to  flourish  about  1750 
in  the  vicinity  of  Haarlem,  North  Holland.  Dutch  noblemen 
owning  large  estates  conceived  the  idea  of  breeding  different  kinds 
of  farm  animals  so  that  they  would  have  white  sheets  or  belts  about 
the  body,  with  black;  ends.  From  this  effort  came  these  Dutch 
Belted  cattle,  Lakenvelder  fowls,  and  the  Lanche  swine  of  Holland 
and  Germany.  There  are  but  few  herds  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  in 
Holland,  and  these  are  mostly  in  the  provinces  of  Utrecht  and 
North  Holland. 

The  introduction  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  to  America  dates  back 
to  1838,  when  D.  H.  Haight  of  Goshen,  New  York,  made  the 
first  importation,  followed  by  a  second  in  1848.  P.  T.  Barnum, 
the. famous  showman,  and  R.  W.  Coleman  also  made  importations. 
General  Grant  is  said  to  have  owned  a  herd  at  one  time  on  a 
farm  near  St.  Louis.2  About  1900  several  head  were  imported  to 
America,  since  which  time  none  have  been  brought  to  this  country. 
The  early  development  of  the  "breed  in  the  United  States  was 
largely  in  southern  New  York,  in  Orange  County. 

Characteristics  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle.  In  general  appearance 
these  cattle  are  rather  distinctively  of  the  dairy  type.  The  best 
of  the  breed,  according  to  Mr.  Sanders,  has  a  highly  developed 

1  Dutch  Belted  Herdbook,  Vol.  VIII,  1907. 

2  Springfield  (Massachusetts)  Republican,  September  3,  1908. 

428 


THE  DUTCH  BELTED 


429 


dairy  form,  thin  neck,  small  head,  straight  back,  deep  chest,  high 
and  broad  hips  and  rump,  well-developed  udder  and  milk  veins, 
mellow  skin,  soft  hair,  and  a  highly  nervous  temperament.  In 
size  they  are  somewhat  smaller  than  the  Holstein-Friesian,  being_ 
more  comparable  with  the  Ayrshire.  G.  G.  Gibbs,  late  secretary 
of  the  Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Association,  states  that  the  cows  weigh 
from  900  to  1250  pounds,  while  a  number  of  bulls  have  exceeded 
a  ton  in  weight.  The  bull  Duke  of  Ralph  255  when  three  years 


•• 


FIG.  1 88.  Auten  435,  one  of  the  most  prominent  prize-winning  Dutch  Belted 
bulls  in  the  history  of  the  breed.  Owned  by  F.  R.  Sanders.  From  a  photograph 

by  the  author 

old  weighed  1200  pounds,  Edward  the  Great  I  2000  pounds,  and 
Duke  of  Goshen  27  also  2000  pounds.  A  weight  of  1500  pounds 
or  more  should  prevail  with  the  bulls.  The  cow  Lady  Aldine  124, 
a  well-known  prize  winner,  weighed  1200  pounds.  In  color  the 
cattle  are  invariably  black,  with  a  white  band  of  varying  width 
about  the  body,  in  front  of  the  hips,  rarely  reaching  the  shoul- 
ders. Sometimes  this  band  narrows  to  even  a  foot  in  width  or 
less,  and,  again,  other  specimens  have  it  as  a  wide  blanket.  The 
fore  part  of  the  udder  of  the  cow  is  also  often  white.  In  udder 
conformation  and  development  these  cows  are  rather  inferior, 


430 


CATTLE 


the  size  being  comparatively  small,  the  fore  udder  abbreviated, 
and  the  teats  placed  too  closely  together. 

Dutch  Belted  cattle  as  milk  producers  are  of  secondary  impor- 
tance, but  very  little  having  been  done  in  breeding  them  for  heavy 
production.  The  cow  Lady  Baird  82  was  credited  with  32  quarts 
of  milk  in  a  day  in  a  private  record  in  1893  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition.  Lady  Aldine  124  is  said  to  have  made 


FIG.  189.    Ida  May  829,  an  excellent  type   of   Dutch   Belted   cow ;    owned  by 
D.  B.  Wilson,  Waterbury,  Connecticut.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

32  quarts  of  milk  in  a  day  on  grass  alone.  But  few  official  tests 
of  the  cows  have  been  made.  The  Lancecote  herd  at  Peapack, 
New  Jersey,  has  shown  the  best  records  up  to  1918.  Of  these 
the  following  are  of  most  importance : 


NAME  OF  Cow 

AGE 

YIELD  WITHIN  365  DAYS 

Milk 

Fat 

Peapack  Princess  .... 
Peapack  Pam  . 

2 

3 
4 
4 

8,745  lb. 
1  0,68  1  lb. 
13,065  lb. 
1  3.159  Ik 

312.17  lb. 

353-1?  lb. 
447.64  lb. 
484.31  lb. 

Peapack  Dutchess  .... 
Peapack  Anna  .  .  .  .  . 

THE  DUTCH  BELTED  431 

F.  R.  Sanders  states1  that  in  his  own  herd  in  New  Hampshire 
eleven  cows  made  an  average  of  8579  pounds  of  milk  for  eight 
years,  and  "one  cow  produced  12,672  pounds  of  milk  in  one  year 
and  in  six  years  60,297  pounds,"  with  an  average  butter  pro- 
duction of  596  pounds.  The  only  test  of  this  breed  which  has 
been  reported  to  the  public  was  in  the  Pan-American  Model  Dairy 
test  in  1901,  in  which  ten  breeds  participated.  In  this  trial  the  five 
Dutch  Belted  cows  made  the  following  record  in  one  hundred 
and  twenty  days  : 

Yield  of  milk  ....  24,893.5  Ib.  .  .  breed  rank,  eighth 

Churned  butter     .     .     .  977-1  Ib.  .  .  breed  rank,  tenth 

Net  profit  on  butter  .  $i  11.96  .  .  breed  rank,  tenth 

Total  solids      ....  3066.47  Ib.  .  .  breed  rank,  ninth 

Value  solids     .     .     .     .  #275.98  .  .  breed  rank,  ninth 

Dutch  Belted  milk  will  test  from  4.5  to  5  per  cent  fat. 

The  Dutch  Belted  as  beef  producers  can  hardly  be  regarded  as 
superior  to  the  dairy  breeds  and  no  doubt  will  not  compare  favor- 
ably with  the  Holstein-Friesian.  They  lack  the  size  of  the  latter 
and  do  not  show  the  tendency  to  produce  flesh  so  characteristic 
of  some  Holstein-Friesians.  Owing  to  the  comparative  scarcity 
of  the  Dutch  Belted,  one  finds  almost  no  steers  of  the  breed  on 
the  market.  A  circular  of  a  Connecticut  breeder  contains  a  picture 
of  ten  steers  trained  to  work  as  five  pairs  of  oxen  one  pair  of 
which  at  four  years  of  age  weighed  3200  pounds. 

Dutch  Belted  crossbreds  or  grades  inherit  the  striking  charac- 
teristics of  the  pure-bred  sire.  Says  one  breeder : 

Crossed  on  cattle  of  any  solid  color  they  almost  invariably  produce  the 
belt,  though  if  the  dam  be  a  Devon  the  calf  may  be  red  at  the  ends ;  or  if  the 
dam  is  a  Shorthorn,  the  calf  may  be  red  or  roan.  But  the  belt  of  the  pure 
white  is  there,  nevertheless. 

An  interesting  example  of  this  intensity  of  Dutch  Belted  pre- 
potency took  place  in  the  herd  of  the  Ohio  State  University. 
A  cow  of  this  breed,  to  the  service  of  a  pure-bred  Jersey  bull, 
dropped  a  crossbred  calf  with  a  white  blanket  about  the  body, 
quite  similar  to  that  of  the  dam  excepting  for  one  small  black 
spot  on  the  white  covering. 

1  Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Bulletin,  April,  1916. 


432 


CATTLE 


The  distribution  and  adaptability  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  is  com- 
parable with  the  other  Dutch  type,  bred  to  thrive  on  abundant 
food  under  rather  favorable  conditions.  However,  some  of  the 
more  prominent  herds  of  America  have  been  located  in  Canada 
and  New  England,  where  the  winters  are  severe  and  long.  No 
doubt  the  more  fertile  lowlands  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  espe- 
cially the  Southern  states  with  their  milder  climatic  conditions, 
would  prove  most  favorable  for  the  development  of  the  breed. 


FIG.  190.    Dutch  Belted  cattle  on  pasture,  Valley  Farm,  Warwick,  New  York. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Agriculturist 

The  distribution  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  has  grown  materially  in 
recent  years,  although  the  breed  has  a  very  small  representation 
in  Holland  and  is  but  little  known  in  America.  However,  they 
have  representatives  in  nearly  every  one  of  our  American  states, 
while  in  some  instances  as  many  as  twenty  herds  may  be  found. 
The  largest  herds  are  in  the  New  England  States  and  in  New  York, 
Michigan,  and  Indiana.  These  cattle  have  also  been  exported  to 
Canada,  Cuba,  Brazil,  Mexico,  France,  Austria,  Germany,  Spain, 
Portugal,  South  Africa. 

The  promotion  of  the  Dutch  Belted  breed  is  supervised  by  the 
Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Association  of  America,  organized  Febru- 
ary 4,  1886,  in  New  York  City.  Volume  I  of  the  herdbook  was 


THE  DUTCH  BELTED  433 

published  the  same  year,  containing  the  registration  of  46  males 
and  177  females,  mainly  owned  in  New  York,  with  others  scat- 
tered throughout  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  New  Hampshire, 
Illinois,  and  South  Carolina.  The  last  volume  of  the  herdbook,. 
numbered  XI,  was  published  in  1917.  This  volume  brought  the 
registration  of  males  up  to  1250  and  females  up  to  2500. 

The  popularity  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  has  been  based  upon  the 
peculiar  color  combination  and  the  picturesque  effect  of  the  same, 
as  seen  in  a  group  of  animals  on  pasture.  From  a  producing 
point  of  view,  as  a  dairy  type  the  Dutch  Belted  has  little  to  offer 
in  its  behalf.  Taking  size  and  feeding  capacity  into  consideration, 
this  breed  without  doubt  makes  a  much  poorer  showing  than  any 
other.  However,  there  seems  no  reason  why,  through  judicious 
breeding  and  selection,  a  line  of  producers  of  real  merit  should 
not  be  established  that  would  largely  dispel  adverse  criticism. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE  FRENCH  CANADIAN 

The  native  home  of  French  Canadian  cattle  is  in  the  province 
of  Quebec,  Canada.  The  country  is  somewhat  undulating  and 
rough,  though  not  mountainous,  and  excellent  crops  of  grass,  oats, 
barley,  potatoes,  and  roots  are  grown.  The  winters  are  rather 
long  and  cold,  with  much  snow,  the  summers  short  and  cool. 

The  origin  of  the  French  Canadian  breed  of  cattle  is  claimed  to  be 
from  stock  brought  to  Quebec,  Canada,  by  the  early  French  settlers, 
at  some  time  prior  to  1665.  Professor  Thomas  Shaw  states1 
that  these  cattle  were  introduced  to  Quebec  as  early  as  1620,  and 
that  no  other  cattle  were  brought  into  the  colony  prior  to  1/76. 
While  no  specific  information  is  at  hand  as  from  just  what  part 
of  France  these  cattle  came,  it  is  presumed  that  it  was  Brittany, 
and  perhaps  Normandy,  as  the  original  settlers  of  Quebec  came 
from  those  French  provinces.  The  French  Canadian  breed,  how- 
ever, resembles  the  cattle  of  Brittany  much  more  than  those  of 
Normandy.  In  an  address  before  a  committee  of  the  Canadian 
Parliament,  Professor  J.  H.  Grisdale  said2  that  up  to  1850  they 
were  about  the  only  cattle  in  Quebec  except  for  a  few  herds  of 
Ayrshires  and  Shorthorns.  In  1853  the  Council  of  Agriculture 
began  to  discourage  farmers  from  breeding  these  cattle.  This  suc- 
ceeded so  well  that  by  1880  "  there  was  hardly  a  French  Canadian 
in  the  Province  that  thought  enough  of  his  cow  to  give  her  more 
attention  than  he  would  a  dog."  Then  it  was  that  two  or  three 
public-spirited  men  began  to  endeavor  to  save  the  breed  from 
extinction  by  starting  a  breed  association. 

Characteristics  of  French  Canadian  cattle.  In  type  there  is 
considerable  resemblance  to  the  Channel  Island  breeds,  especially 
the  Jersey.  The  color  is  solid  black  or  black  with  a  yellow  fawn 
stripe  along  the  back  and  around  the  muzzle,  brown-brindle,  or 

1  The  Study  of  Breeds  in  America  (1900),  p.  133. 

2  Rural  New  Yorker,  January  8,  1910. 

434 


THE  FRENCH  CANADIAN 


435 


brown  with  black  points.  This  fawn  ring  is  very  distinctive  of 
the  breed.  The  black  type  of  males  is  preferred.  The  horns, 
which  tend  to  be  long,  are  generally  curved  outward  and  then  in, 
with  the  tips  turned  toward  each  other.  The  color  of  horn  is 
white  with  black  tip.  In  size  the  mature  female  weighs  from  700 
to  800  pounds  and  the  bull  about  1000.  They  often,  however, 
weigh  less  than  this.  In  general  conformation  one  is  impressed 


FIG.  191.    A  French  Canadian  cow.   An  excellent  example  of  the  breed.  From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Agriculturist 

with  a  certain  roughness  and  angularity  of  form,  after  the  more 
angular  Jersey  type.  In  quality  they  show  a  mellow  hide  and  a 
rich  yellow  skin  notable  for  its  high  orange-yellow  color  within 
the  ear  and  about  the  udder.  A  fine  silky  coat  of  hair  is  an  im- 
portant indication  of  quality.  "  The  chief  points  of  these  cattle," 
says  C.  N.  Lepter  of  Quebec,  "  from  a  dairyman's  point  of  view, 
are  that  they  have  large  udders  and  teats  placed  far  apart  and 
pointing  in  front." 

The  French  Canadian  cows  as  milk  producers  make  a  very  fair 
showing.  J.  A.  Couture  of  Quebec,  writing  regarding  the  dairy 
capacity  of  the  breed,1  states  that  the  cow  Pruniere  1712  during 

1  American  Agriculturist,  February  25,  1899. 


436  CATTLE 

three  hundred  and  eighteen  days  produced  1 1,310  pounds  of  milk, 
a  daily  average  of  over  35  pounds.  This  cow  weighed  about  675 
pounds.  The  cow  Azilza  de  Levis  956  is  credited  with  8000  pounds 
in  a  year.  An  average  yield  of  5000  pounds  is  regarded  as  a 
standard.  The  only  notable  public  test  in  which  the  breed  has 
taken  a  part  was  that  of  the  Pan-American  Model  Dairy  at  Buffalo 
in  1901.  In  this  competition  the  French  Canadians  secured  a 
medium  rank  among  the  ten  breeds  involved.  In  six  months  the 
five  cows  produced  25,656  pounds  of  milk  which  yielded  1180 
pounds  of  butter,  on  which  a  net  profit  of  $181.81  was  secured. 
In  cost  of  butter  per  pound  the  French  Canadian  ranked  third,  at 
9.76  cents,  Guernseys  ranking  first  and  Jerseys  second.  The  cow 
Denise  Championne  I,  in  net  profit  of  $40.63,  ranked  twenty-first 
among  the  fifty  cows  in  the  test.  Rouen,  another  French  Canadian 
cow,  ranked  twenty-second,  there  being  little  difference  between  the 
two.  In  fat  content  the  milk  from  these  cows  tests  somewhat  in 
excess  of  4  per  cent,  in  the  Pan-American  trials  averaging  4.04. 

The  hardy  character  of  French  Canadian  cattle  is  one  of  their 
strong  features.  They  have  vigorous  constitutions,  well  adapted  to 
the  rigors  of  a  Canadian  winter,  thriving,  it  is  said,  where  other 
cattle  would  starve.  The  claim  has  been  made  by  Canadian 
breeders  that  these  cattle  do  not  suffer  from  tuberculosis,  but  this 
may  be  doubted.  French  Canadians  are  especially  suited  to  the 
rougher  lands  of  upper  New  England  and  eastern  Canada. 

The  grazing  qualities  of  French  Canadian  cattle  rank  very  high, 
and  the  cows  are  said  to  yield  large  returns  of  milk  on  pasture 
alone.  On  poor  pastures  or  hill  farms  they  thrive  better  than 
the  larger  breeds. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  French.  Canadian  cattle  are  inferior. 
This  is  largely  due  to  the  limited  food  and  rigorous  conditions  of 
keeping.  More  abundant  food  and  better  care  would  improve  the 
breed  in  this  respect. 

The  distribution  of  French  Canadian  cattle  is  mainly  restricted 
to  Quebec,  where  it  is  the  principal  breed  in  some  twenty-five 
counties.  Registered  cattle  are  most  bred  in  the  counties  of 
Berthier,  Joliette,  Drummond,  Kamouraska,  and  L' Islet.  They 
are  also  found  in  a  small  way  in  the  United  States,  in  northern 
New  York  State,  with  a  few  isolated  herds  farther  south. 


THE  FRENCH  CANADIAN  437 

f 

The  promotion  of  pure  French  Canadian  cattle  has  been  assisted 
by  the  legislature  of  Quebec  and  a  breeding  association.  In  1886 
the  legislature  adopted  rules  for  the  registration  of  foundation  stock, 

and  until  1895  a  herd  book  was  maintained.    Animals  of  correct —I 

form  and  acceptably  pure  descent  were  eligible  to  registration. 
In  1895  the  French  Canadian  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  was 
organized  and  in  September  of  that  year  assumed  the  control  of 
all  herdbook  records.  Since  1896  no  animals  have  been  or  can 
be  registered  excepting  the  descendants  of  the  foundation  stock 
already  recorded.  Up  to  1917  two  volumes  of  herdbooks  have 
been  published,  showing  the  registration  of  4215  animals. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE  KERRY 

The  native  home  of  Kerry  cattle  is  in  southwestern  Ireland  in  the 
county  of  Kerry.  This  is  one  of  the  wildest  and  most  picturesque 
sections  of  Ireland,  with  mountains  rising  above  three  thousand 
feet  and  with  the  famous  Killarney  lakes  in  the  setting.  The 
climate  is  moist  and  fairly  temperate.  Agricultural  conditions  are 
inferior. 

The  origin  of  the  Kerry  is  as  uncertain  as  that  of  other  British 
breeds.  From  time  immemorial  it  has  been  bred  in  Ireland, 
where  it  is  known  as  the  "  poor  man's  cow."  The  opinion  of 
British  students  is  that  this  is  a  descendant  from  the  smaller  type 
of  aboriginal  cattle  of  that  country,  of  the  same  character  as  the 
dark-colored  cattle  of  Britain.  Nothing  more  is  known.  The 
development  of  the  breed  has  mainly  rested  with  the  Irish  farmers 
or  tenants,  who  keep  but  small  herds. 

The  introduction  of  the  Kerry  to  America  was  probably  first  made 
in  1859  by  Sanford  Howard  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  who  im- 
ported for  Arthur  W.  Austin  a  bull  and  five  two-year-old  heifers. 
In  1860  he  imported  a  second  bull,  the  first  having  died,  and 
two  heifers.  Since  that  period  Kerry  cattle  have  been  imported 
to  the  United  States  in  a  small  way  up  to  the  present  time. 

Characteristics  of  Kerry  cattle.  This  is  a  distinct  dairy  type 
breed,  with  the  following  special  characteristics  :  The  color  should 
always  be  a  solid  black,  with  no  white  on  the  body  in  case  of  the 
bull ;  with  the  cow  a  slight  amount  of  white  on  the  udder  or  under- 
line, while  undesirable,  does  not  disqualify.  The  lean  head  of  the 
cow  carries  upstanding,  slender  white  horns  with  black  tips, 
which  often  turn  back ;  the  bull's  horns  are  shorter  than  those  of 
the  cow,  but  are  commonly  erect,  with  the  tips  turned  back.  The 
neck  is  slender  and  long,  the  withers  fine,  the  back  strong  and 
well  carried,  the  depth  of  body  only  moderate,  the  rump  tending 
to  be  somewhat  sloping,  the  thighs  muscular,  and  the  legs  slender 

43* 


THP:  KERRY 


439 


and  comparatively  long.  The  udder  is  frequently  large  for  the 
size  of  the  cow,  but  tends  to  have  a  poor  front  development.  In 
size  the  Kerry  is  one  of  the  small  breeds,  and  when  in  breeding 
condition  the  bull  should  not  weigh  over  one  thousand  pounds 
nor  the  cow  over  nine  hundred  pounds.  The  temperament  of  the 
Kerry  is  distinctly  nervous,  yet,  when  well  cared  for,  these  cattle 
are  quiet  and  easily  handled. 

The  maturing  characteristics  of  Kerry  cattle  are  secondary. 
As  bred  in  Ireland,  due  to  inferior  care,  they  are  slow  to  develop, 
producing  the  first  calf 
later  than  other  breeds. 
This  slowness  of  ma- 
turity is  overcome  to 
a  considerable  degree 
under  proper  condi- 
tions of  care  and  feed- 
ing, and  in  America 
earlier  maturity  may 
generally  be  expected 
than  in  Ireland. 

The  hardy  charac- 
ter of  Kerry  cattle  is 
one  of  its  distinctive 
features.  During  the 


FIG.  192.  La  Mancha  My  Mistake  (344),  a  prize- 
winning  Kerry  bull  at  the  show  of  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society  of  England.  Owned  by  R.  Tait 
Robertson,  Malahide,  Ireland.  From  photograph 
by  the  author 


entire  year  it  is  nec- 
essary for  the  Irish 
cotter's  cow  to  adapt 

herself  to  conditions  of  privation,  including  the  inclemency  of 
winter.  No  breed  has  a  more  robust  constitution  or  is  less 
subject  to  common  diseases  than  is  the  Kerry  in  Ireland. 

The  prepotency  of  Kerry  cattle  is  very  marked.  Being  of  an 
ancient  breed,  long  bred  pure,  it  transmits  its  color  and  physical 
characteristics  in  a  marked  degree. 

The  Kerry  in  crossbreeding  is  essentially  of  value  in  improving 
common  dairy  stock.  Kerry  bulls  from  high-yielding  cows,  bred 
to  ordinary  cows,  should  sire  a  class  of  heifers  possessing  vigor- 
ous constitutions,  showing  a  uniformly  black  color  and  capable  of 
producing  a  good  yield  of  superior  milk  at  minimum  cost. 


440  CATTLE 

The  grazing  value  of  the  Kerry  is  very  high.  This  breed  has 
been  developed  under  adverse  food  conditions  and  thrives  on  com- 
paratively poor  rations.  It  well  serves  the  purpose  of  furnishing 
the  poor  Irish  laborer  a  maximum  of  return  for  a  minimum  of 
expenditure. 

The  Kerry  as  a  milk  producer  ranks  well,  considering  her  size 
and  cost  of  production.  Messrs.  William  and  James  McDonald, 
reporting  on  the  Kerry  cattle  shown  at  the  Paris  Exposition  in 
1878,  state  that  twelve  quarts  of  milk  daily  during  the  season  and 
from  six  to  seven  pounds  of  butter  a  week  are  the  estimated 
yield  of  a  Kerry  cow,  and  that  cows  have  been  known  to  give 
sixteen  quarts  every  day  for  some  time  after  calving.  Only  in 
recent  years  have  any  systematic  efforts  been  made  to  keep  milk 
or  butter-fat  records  of  these  cows.  In  1905  Professor  James  Long 
wrote  as  follows,  relative  to  official  trials  l : 

If  we  take  the  milking  trials  at  the  National  Dairy  Show  at  Islington,  and 
travel  over  a  number  of  years,  we  find  that  in  one  year  eight  Kerries  averaged 
36  pounds,  or  more  than  3^  gallons  of  milk  per  day,  this  milk  containing 
3-33  Per  c&nt  fat.  In  another  year  twelve  Kerries  averaged  25!  pounds  of 
milk  per  day,  this  milk  containing  the  large  proportion  of  4.33  per  cent  of  fat, 
while  the  solids  not  fat  reached  9.2  per  cent.  Again,  in  a  third  year,  seven 
Kerries  averaged  33^  pounds  of  milk,  containing  3.69  per  cent  fat.  In  two 
other  years  the  averages  of  ten  cows  in  each  year  were  27^  pounds  of  milk 
and  33  pounds  of  milk,  the  fat  percentage  in  one  case  4.36,  and  in  the  other  4.26. 

In  official  tests  in  1916  and  1917  in  Ireland,  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Technical  Instruc- 
tion for  Ireland,  records  ranged  from  4812  pounds  of  milk  as  a 
minimum  to  8124  pounds  as  a  maximum  yield,  forty-five  weeks 
being  the  extreme  period  of  lactation.  The  butter-fat  percentage 
ranged  from  3.4  to  4.9,  the  average  being  4  per  cent.  From  what 
the  author  has  seen  of  these  cattle  in  Ireland  he  believes  the  Kerry 
to  be  a  milk-producing  breed  of  much  promise  under  a  judicious 
system  of  breeding  and  selection. 

The  distribution  of  the  Kerry  is  not  general ;  even  in  Ireland, 
where  it  is  best  known,  the  Shorthorn  is  the  leading  breed.  There 
are  a  number  of  excellent  Kerry  herds  in  England,  but  very  few 
of  these  cattle  have  been  imported  to  America.  There  are  small 

1  Agricultural  Gazette  (London),  August  21,  1905. 


THE  KERRY  441 

herds  in  Australia  and  South  Africa.    In  the  United  States  the 
principal  herds  are  in  New  York,  Missouri,  and  Minnesota. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Kerry  cattle  have  been  in 
existence  for  some  years.  In  1887  a  register  was  started  in 
Ireland  by  the  owners  of  the  Farmers  Gazette  of  Dublin,  which 
was  taken  over  by  the  Royal  Dublin  Society  after  the  publication 
of  three  volumes  of  herdbooks.  In  1890  this  society  issued  the 
first  volume  of  the  "  Kerry  and  Dexter  Herdbook,"  and  has 


FIG.  193.    Kerry  cows  on  pasture  on  the  estate  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  Maynooth, 
Ireland.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

continued  doing  so  up  to  date.  Seventeen  volumes  of  the  Irish 
herdbook  have  been  published,  containing  the  total  entry  up  to 
1918  of  871  Kerry  bulls  and  2658  cows.  An  English  Kerry  and 
Dexter  Cattle  Society,  with  headquarters  in  London,  was  estab- 
lished in  1892  and  has  published  eighteen  herdbooks,  containing 
a  total  entry  to  1917  inclusive  of  392  Kerry  bulls  and  2098  cows. 
In  1917  an  Irish  Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle  Society  was  organized 
in  Ireland  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  breed.  In  1911  an 
American  Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle  Club  was  organized,  but  thus 
far  has  published  no  herdbook.  Up  to  1920  but  16  bulls  and 
6 1  cows  have  been  recorded,  and  to  this  date  no  important  herd 
of  Kerry  cattle  has  been  established  in  the  United  States. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 


THE  DEXTER 

The  native  home  of  the  Dexter  is  in  the  southern  part  of 
Ireland  and  in  the  same  region  as  that  of  the  Kerry. 

The  origin  of  the  Dexter  is  quite  obscure.  The  common  as- 
sumption has  been  that  this  breed  is  a  cross  between  the  Kerry 

.  and  some  other  breed, 
perhaps  the  Devon. 
The  opinion  expressed 
by  Professor  James 
Wilson l  is  that  this  is 
a  short-legged  offshoot 
from  the  Kerry,  due 
to  crossing  with  the 
Devon.  It  has  also 
been  repeatedly  claimed 
that  "a  Mr.  Dexter," 
who  at  one  time  was 
agent  of  Lord  Hawar- 
den,  is  responsible  for 
this  Irish  breed,  which 

FIG.  194.    La   Mancha  Union  Jack   (37),  a  noted     f  . 

prize-winning  red  Dexter  bull.     From  photograph 

by  the  author  known  as  the  Dexter- 

Kerry,  but  which  now 

is  classed  by  organizations  promoting  these  cattle  in  Great  Britain 
and  America  as  a  distinct  and  separate  breed  from  the  Kerry. 

The  introduction  of  the  Dexter  to  America  probably  occurred 
long  ago,  when  no  discrimination  was  made  between  Kerry  and 
Dexter  in  importations.  Perhaps  two  hundred  Dexters  were  im- 
ported to  the  United  States  between  1910  and  1915,  a  large 
percentage  of  which  were  brought  over  by  Elmendorf  Farm  of 


1  The  Evolution  of  British  Cattle  and  the  Fashioning  of  Breeds.  London,  1909. 

442 


THE  DEXTER 


443 


Kentucky,  Howard  Gould  of  New  York,  and  James  J.  Hill  of  Min- 
nesota, none  of  whom  are  now  maintaining  herds  of  these  cattle. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Dexter.  In  Great  Britain  the  Dexter 
is  regarded  as  a  diminutive  dual-purpose  breed,  although  in  the- 
United  States  the  beef  side  is  given  scant  consideration.  The 
essential  characteristics  are  found  in  the  head,  short  legs,  small 
size,  and  color.  The  head  is  old-fashioned  in  a  degree,  tending 


FIG.  195.    Harley  Coy  (1655),  a  remarkably  fine  example  of  a  Dexter  cow  at  full 

maturity.    Champion  cow  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show.    Owned  by 

R.  Tait  Robertson,  Malahide,  Ireland.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

toward  plainness  and  crowned  with  more  or  less  black-tipped, 
upright  horns.  The  head  of  the  bull  is  burly  and  short  and  the 
horns  often  extend  directly  out  to  each  side  and  then  make  a 
wide  curve  forward  and  upward,  with  considerable  space  between 
the  tips.  The  neck  is  moderately  short  and  muscular,  the  withers 
show  a  dual-purpose  thickness,  the  back  is  usually  strongly  sup- 
ported, the  depth  of  body  and  digestive  capacity  is  comparatively 
great,  the  tail  head  is  often  prominent,  the  hind  quarters  suggest 
the  dual-purpose  type  (more  especially  with  the  bull),  the  legs  are 
very  short,  and  the  udder  on  mature  cows  frequently  indicates 
great  capacity  for  animals  of  such  small  size. 


444 


CATTLE 


The  color  of  the  Dexter  is  very  generally  a  solid  black,  although 
pure  reds  are  also  recognized  and  are  not  uncommon.  The  Irish 
regard  either  color  as  of  equal  merit.  White  marks  are  permis- 
sible on  the  udder  and  on  the  belly  up  to  the  navel,  though  not 
outside  of  the  flanks.  The  brush  of  the  tail  may  also  contain 
more  or  less  white.  No  white  markings  are  favored  on  the  bull, 
although  a  slight  amount  on  the  scrotum  or  sheath  will  not  dis- 
qualify. The  horns  are  usually  white  with  black  tips,  while  the  nose 
and  hoofs  may  be  either  white  or  dark  as  the  animal  is  black  or  red. 


FIG.  196.    A  herd  of  Dexter  females,  first  in  class,  exhibited  by  Howard  Gould, 
New  York,  at  the  New  York  State  Fair.    From  photograph  by  Smith  &  Holmes 

The  size  of  the  Dexter  places  it  among  the  smallest  of  British 
breeds.  In  mature  form  the  standard  weights  are  900  pounds  as 
a  maximum  for  the  bull  and  800  for  the  cow  when  in  breeding 
condition.  Some  very  beautiful  specimens  of  cows  that  scarcely 
weigh  over  500  pounds  are  seen  at  British  shows.  One  of  the 
noted  bulls  of  the  breed  —  La  Mancha  Union  Jack  —  stood  only 
about  38  inches  high  and  probably  weighed  less  than  500  pounds. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Dexter  has  largely  been  sought  on 
account  of  its  diminutive  size  the  tendency  among  breeders  has 
been  to  emphasize  that  feature.  Where  breeding  is  conducted  under 
conditions  of  plenty  there  is  a  tendency  towards  increase  in  size. 

The  hardy  character  of  the  Dexter  is  one  of  its  outstanding 
features.  In  its  native  home,  like  the  Kerry,  it  lives  largely  in  the 


THE  DEXTER 


445 


open,  under  rather  rigorous  conditions,  and  tubercular  and  other 
diseases  due  to  close  housing  are  quite  uncommon. 

The  crossbred  Dexter,  especially  with  beef  stock,  meets  with 
much  favor  in  the  British  market.  The  use  of  Aberdeen-Angus 
or  Shorthorn  bulls  on  Dexter  cows  has  produced  some  very  beau- 
tiful small  carcasses  of  beef.  The  author  has  seen  some  of  these 
crosses  in  Ireland  that,  although  small,  represented  high-class  beef 
animals,  indicating  very  superior  killing  quality.  So  highly  is  this 
kind  of  crossbreeding  regarded  in  England  that  special  classes 
for  these  small  carcasses  are 
provided  at  the  Smithfield  Club 
Fat-Stock  Show. 

The  Dexter  as  a  milk  pro- 
ducer has  considerable  merit. 
There  are  many  records  for 
these  little  cows,  of  4000  to 
6000  pounds  of  milk  produced 
within  a  year  and  this  on  just 
ordinary  care.  In  Ireland,  how- 
ever, official  testing  of  Dexter 
cows  has  only  just  begun. 
During  the  years  1916  and 
1917  twenty-four  cows  were 
under  test  as  supervised  by 
the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Technical  Instruction 

for  Ireland,  covering  periods  of  lactation  ranging  from  thirty-three 
to  forty-five  weeks.  The  smallest  annual  yield  was  4555  pounds 
during  a  period  of  thirty-six  weeks,  testing  an  average  of  4.1  per 
cent  fat,  while  the  largest  yield  was  8124  pounds  during  forty-five 
weeks,  testing  3.7  per  cent  fat.  The  Castlegould  herd  of  Howard 
Gould  in  New  York  State  produced  a  number  of  excellent  records, 
one  cow — Slane  Clara  —  having  a  record  of  9046  pounds,  testing 
4.26  per  cent  fat.  Dexter  milk  averages  about  4  per  cent  fat. 

The  prices  paid  for  Dexter  cattle  are  comparatively  small.  As 
the  breed  is  quite  limited  in  number  the  demand  is  also  limited. 
These  cattle  may  be  bought  in  Ireland  for  approximately  $150  a 
head,  with  a  fair  selection  at  this  price,  although  show  animals 


FIG.  197.    A  Dexter  cow  of  dual-purpose 
type  on  the  pasture  of  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural   College,    Cirencester,    England. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 


446  CATTLE 

naturally  command  a  higher  figure.  While  Americans  have  im- 
ported several  hundred  Dexters,  as  a  rule  the  prices  paid  have 
been  modest.  In  a  pamphlet  on  these  cattle  published  by  the 
Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle  Society  of  Ireland  in  1918  it  is  stated 
that  the  prices  vary  from  $125  to  $350,  according  to  age  and 
quality. 

The  distribution  of  the  Dexter  extends  over  Ireland,  with  a 
few  select  herds  in  England.  The  1918  volume  of  the  English 
Kerry  and  Dexter  herdbook  records  thirty-one  herds  in  England. 
Dexter  cattle  have  been  exported  to  South  Africa,  Australia, 
and  other  British  colonies.  In  1919  there  were  Dexter  herds 
in  Vermont,  New  York,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  Texas,  Illinois,  Wis- 
consin, and  Minnesota.  A  number  of  herds  are  kept  in  Canada. 

The  official  promotion  of  Dexter  cattle  is  supervised  by  several 
associations.  The  Farmers  Gazette  of  Dublin,  Ireland,  instituted 
a  herdbook,  the  first  volume  of  which  appeared  in  1887.  Later 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  took  over  this  work  and  since  1890 
has  published  the  records.  The  English  Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle 
Society  was  founded  in  1892  and  up  to  1919  has  issued  nineteen 
herdbooks,  which  show  a  total  of  639  bulls  and  2544  cows  regis- 
tered. In  1917  there  was  organized  at  Killarney,  Ireland,  the 
Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle  Society  of  Ireland,  "  to  maintain  the 
purity  and  promote  the  breeding  of  Kerry  and  Dexter  cattle  in 
Ireland."  The  American  Kerry  and  Dexter  Cattle  Club,  organ- 
ized in  July,  1911,  serves  the  purpose  of  registration  and  transfer 
and  aims  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  breed.  Up  to  1920  the 
club  has  registered  fifty-five  bulls  and  two  hundred  and  forty- 
six  females. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 
DUAL-PURPOSE  TYPE  OF  CATTLE 

Dual-purpose  and  general-purpose  type  of  cattle  mean  the  same 
thing.  This  comes  in  between  the  beef  and  dairy  type,  combining 
in  one  animal  the  valuable  qualities  of  meat  and  dairy  types. 
This  class  has  been  under  special  discussion  for  some  years,  and 
strong  arguments  have  been  advanced  in  its  behalf.  It  is  not 
proposed  to  go  into  a  detailed  discussion  of  this  type,  —  it  is  not 
necessary,  —  but  rather  to  emphasize  the  essential  features. 

The  dual-purpose  and  beef  type  compared  show  marked  differ- 
ences. The  dual-purpose  animal  is  narrower  of  body  and  scarcely 
as  well  rounded  as  the  beef  type,  does  not  naturally  carry  so  much 
"  condition,"  is  more  lean  of  neck,  sharper  at  withers,  narrower  at 
the  thighs,  and  longer  of  leg  than  is  common  with  true  beef  cattle- 
One  receives  the  impression  that  relatively  the  dual-purpose  type 
is  of  greater  length.  In  the  case  of  the  cows  the  udder  is  most 
essential  in  good  specimens  of  the  dual-purpose  type,  milk  pro- 
duction being  of  special  importance. 

Dual-purpose  and  dairy  type  compared  show  the  former  to  be 
fuller  in  the  breast,  thicker  at  withers,  broader  backed,  thicker 
and  heavier  at  the  hind  quarter  and  twist,  and  generally  more  mas- 
sive than  the  latter.  The  form  is  somewhat  smoother  and  less 
muscular,  the  tendency  being  towards  higher  condition.  When 
in  high  milk  flow  dual-purpose  cows  often  lose  flesh  and  incline 
to  the  dairy  conformation,  but  when  dry  they  usually  flesh  up  to 
a  marked  degree.  The  writer  has  seen  dual-purpose  cows  that 
have  been  regarded  as  dairy-type  animals  by  men  rated  as  good 
critics.  It  is  difficult,  in  fact,  to  draw  the  line  between  these 
types  in  cases  of  certain  individuals  that  vary  according  to  their 
condition,  when  each  tends  to  approach  the  other  in  conformation. 
For  example,  the  American  Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Association  has 
classed  this  as  a  dairy  breed,  yet  if  one  is  to  judge  the  Brown 
Swiss  as  seen  either  in  its  native  home  or  America,  it  will  be 

447 


448  CATTLE 

difficult  to  classify  a  large  percentage  of  the  animals  other  than  of 
dual-purpose  type. 

Two  classes  of  dual-purpose  cattle  are  common  —  one  rather 
beefy  in  character,  with  inferior  udders,  the  other  lean  and  mus- 
cular, with  strong  dairy-type  indications.  Every  large  show  of 
dual-purpose  breeds  contains  good  representations  of  these  two 
classes.  For  example,  the  Devon,  a  dual-purpose  breed,  contains 
the  two  classes  in  a  marked  degree.  The  dairy  sort  is  more 
popular  in  the  Eastern  states,  the  beef  in  the  West.  The  same 
applies  to  a  certain  extent  also  to  the  Red  Polled  breed,  though 
perhaps  not  to  so  great  a  degree  as  with  the  Devon.  In  the 
Shorthorn  breed  we  have  the  most  approved  beef  type  of  cattle, 
while  a  dual-purpose  type  of  Shorthorn,  with  strong  dairy  ten- 
dencies, is  very  common  in  England  and  not  rare  in  America. 
In  1914  the  writer  watched  the  judging  of  the  dairy  Shorthorns 
at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  Show  at  Shrews- 
bury, said  to  have  been  up  to  that  time  the  largest  exhibit  of  this 
class  ever  seen.  Here  the  animals  placed  first  and  second  were 
beautiful  large  beefy-looking  cows  with  udders  of  great  size  and 
apparent  capacity.  On  one  occasion  the  secretary  of  the  dairy 
branch  of  "  Coates's  Herdbook,"  in  reply  to  an  inquiry  as  to 
just  what  was  most  desirable  in  a  milking  Shorthorn,  replied  that 
he  wished  as  much  natural  beef  conformation  as  possible,  coupled 
with  great  milk-producing  capacity.  That  should  logically  be  the 
aim,  and  the  policy  of  some  breeders  to  emphasize  a  type  of 
dual-purpose  cattle  that  are  in  fact  true  dairy  cattle  is  neither 
consistent  nor  desirable.  Such  breeders  might  better  center  their 
interest  on  dairy  cattle  altogether  if  they  are  unwilling  to  give 
due  recognition  to  beef  values.  By  combining  beef  and  milk  in 
a  really  noteworthy  degree  the  dual  purpose  is  secured.  Minus 
the  one  or  the  other  the  animal  must  be  classed  with  the  beef 
or  dairy  type.  Many  farmers  greatly  prefer  a  type  of  cow  pro- 
ductive of  a  liberal  supply  of  milk,  that  will  fatten  easily  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  butcher,  and  will  also  produce  calves  which 
will  feed  into  superior  veals  or  steers.  In  regions  where  dairying 
is  not  a  specialty  the  dual-purpose  type  is  quite  commonly  seen  in 
the  Shorthorn  of  milking  strain.  Notwithstanding  the  frequency 
with  which  cattle  of  this  type  are  seen,  there  are  comparatively 


DUAL-PURPOSE  TYPE  OF  CATTLE  449 

few  animals  of  the  dual-purpose  breeds  to  be  found  in  America. 
During  the  last  few  years,  however,  there  has  been  a  greatly 
increased  activity  in  the  demand  for  cattle  of  this  type  in  both 
America  and  Great  Britain,  and  many  animals  have  changed 
hands  at  good  values.  Certainly  the  excellent  records  made  by 
cattle  of  this  type  will  greatly  promote  their  future  popularity 
and  usefulness. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  RED  POLLED 

The  native  home  of  Red  Polled  cattle  is  in  England,  in  the 
counties  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  which  border  the  North  Sea  and 
comprise  the  most  easterly  part  of  England.  The  country  is  roll- 
ing, with  some  marsh  lands,  and  furnishes  good  grazing  and 
live-stock  conditions,  although  parts  of  Norfolk  have  poor,  thin 
land.  The  climate  is  fairly  temperate  and  moist  —  characteristic 
of  England. 

The  origin,  of  Red  Polled  cattle  is  differently  interpreted  by 
live-stock  writers.  Culley  thought  them  descended  from  the  Gal- 
loway type  and  was  the  first  to  suggest  this  source,  although  the 
two  breeds  materially  differ.  Others  have  attributed  the  ancestry 
to  the  wild  white-polled  sort.  Mr.  Euren,  the  organizer  of  Red 
Polled  interests  abroad,  has  suggested  that  the  breed  was  derived 
from  the  polled  cattle  of  southern  Europe  —  for  example,  Hun- 
gary or  central  Russia,  where  cattle  possessed  the  soft  satiny  skin 
of  the  Red  Polled — rather  than  from  the  Galloway,  with  its  heavy, 
long  coat  and  thicker  hide.  The  fact  is  the  breed  has  developed, 
like  other  British  breeds,  from  material  which  passes  beyond 
historical  record.  We  do  know,  however,  that  the  present-day 
Red  Polled  breed  consists  of  an  amalgamation  of  the  following 
two  types  or  varieties  : 

I.  Suffolk  Red  Polled.  The  county  of  Suffolk  lies  just  south 
of  Norfolk.  The  northeast  part,  sometimes  designated  as  East 
Anglia,  was  settled  in  the  fifth  century  by  Scandinavians,  and  it  is 
stated  that  they  brought  cattle  with  them.  In  this  section  of  Suf- 
folk, only  twelve  by  twenty  miles,  and  later  in  the  entire  county, 
as  well  as  in  Norfolk,  developed  a  polled  breed  that  became 
famous  for  milk  production.  In  1734  John  Kirby,  in  the  Suffolk 
Traveler,  wrote  of  the  butter  produced  in  this  district  as  "the 
best  and  pleasantest  in  England."  These  cattle  were  small,  natu- 
rally thin  of  flesh,  either  red,  brindled,  or  dun-colored,  and  always 

45° 


THE  RED  POLLED 


451 


polled.  In  1794  Arthur  Young,  in  a  general  survey  of  the  agri- 
culture of  Suffolk,  describes  the  breed  at  some  length.  He  stated 
that  for  two  or  three  months  a  whole  herd  would  average  five  gal- 
lons of  milk  a  day  per  head,  and  single  animals  have  produced 
eight  gallons  in  a  day.  From  1778  on,  numerous  advertisements 


FIG.  198.  Teddy's  Best  17603,  a  noted  Red  Polled  bull,  thirty-two  times  a  cham- 
pion up  to  1919.  Noted  also  as  a  sire.  Owned  by  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms,  Nickerson, 
Minnesota.  From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms 

of  auction  sales  of  this  dairy  stock  were  published  in  the  Norwich 
(Norfolk)  Mercury.  In  1802  a  herd  of  "twenty-one  beautiful 
polled  cows  and  a  bull "  was  advertised. 

2.  Norfolk  Red  Polled.  In  Norfolk  County  early  writers 
referred  to  a  type  of  cattle  blood  red  in  color,  with  a  white  or 
mottled  face,  having  horns,  and  small  of  bone,  "  fattening  as  freely 
and  finishing  as  highly  at  three  years  old  as  cattle  do  generally 
at  four  or  five,"  says  Marshall,  who  regarded  the  Norfolk  Red 
Polled  as  a  miniature  Hereford  in  appearance.  These  possessed 
poor  dairy  qualities,  so  Jonas  Reeve  of  Wigtown  and  Richard 
England  of  Binham  began  to  improve  and  secure  a  type  com- 
bining the  good  qualities  of  the  Suffolk  as  well  as  the  Norfolk. 


452 


CATTLE 


A  Mr.  George  also  took  part  in  this  improvement.  They  bred 
to  produce  a  solid  red  color  (perhaps  using  the  Devon,  which 
existed  in  the  county),  bred  off  the  horns  (no  doubt  with  the  help 
of  Suffolk  bulls),  and  so  developed  a  dual-purpose  type  which 
attained  considerable  fame.  In  1818  the  name  "  Norfolk  Polled  " 
began  to  come  into  use. 

The  amalgamation  of  Suffolk  and  Norfolk  Red  Polled  cattle 
was  the  result  of  gradually  developing  the  two  breeds  into  a 
common  type.  Each  was  improved  with  the  view  of  securing 

an  easy-keeping,  horn- 
less, red-colored,  dual- 
purpose  animal.  The 
types  of  each  county 

4|L>jfc  y^  jfr  ^  were  shown  for  a  time 

at  the  local  fairs,  but 
they  gradually  came 
to  be  of  the  same  gen- 
eral character.  The 
year  1 846,  according  to 
Mr.  Euren,  late  secre- 
tary of  the  Red  Polled 
Cattle  Association  in 
England,  may  be 
taken  as  the  date  from 


FIG.  199.   Jean  Du  Luth  Bryson  26512,  a  Red  Polled 

bull  owned  by  Professor  H.  C.  Price,  Newark,  Ohio. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 


which  the '  Norfolk 
and  Suffolk  varieties 
merged  into  each  other 

so  as  to  be  spoken  of  as  one  and  the  same  breed.  Finally,  in 
1862,  an  international  exposition  was  held  at  Battersea,  when  a 
large  exhibit  was  made  in  one  class  from  both  Norfolk  and  Suf- 
folk. It  was  then  that  the  improved  form  in  each  county  was 
recognized  as  of  the  same  kind  and  given  the  name  "  Norfolk 
and  Suffolk  Red  Polled."  About  1882  this  was  shortened  to 
"  Red  Polled,"  by  which  name  the  breed  is  now  recognized. 

The  introduction  of  Red  Polled  cattle  to  America  no  doubt 
first  occurred  in  colonial  times  in  English  settlements,  as,  for 
example,  in  Virginia.  Mulley,  or  polled  cattle,  of  a  red  or  red- 
and-white  color,  similar  to  Red  Polled,  have  been  known  in  the 


THE  RED  POLLED 


453 


eastern  United  States  for  over  a  century.  In  1 847  the  captain  of  the 
vessel  Jamestown,  that  took  provisions  to  Ireland  to  relieve  famine, 
received  the  gift  of  a  Suffolk  polled  heifer  from  a  Mr.  Jeffries, 
living  near  Cork,  as  an  expression  of  appreciation,  and  she  was 
brought  to  Massachusetts.  From  her  descended  a  line  of  stock, 
termed  Jamestown  cattle  in  Massachusetts,  that  produced  polled 
animals  of  superior  character.  In  1873  G.  F.  Taber  of  Patterson, 
New  York,  made  the  first  importation  of  breeding  Red  Polled 
cattle  to  this  country,  consisting  of  a  bull  and  three  heifers  and 
later,  in  1875,  four  more  cows  and,  again,  in  1882  three  bulls 
and  twenty-three  heifers.  In  1882  Mead  &  Kimball  of  Vermont 
brought  over  a  bull  and  eleven  females,  and  in  1883  G.  P.  Squires 
of  New  York  and  Geldard  &  Busk,  an  English  firm,  made  impor- 
tations. In  1886  J.  McLain  Smith  of  Ohio  made  his  first  importa- 
tion, and  until  his  death,  in  1905,  he  was  a  prominent  advocate  of 
the  breed.  Captain  V.  T.  Hills,  also  of  Ohio,  a  leading  American 
authority  on  the  breed,  imported  in  1887.  During  the  last  of  the 
nineteenth  century  and  up  to  1918  very  few  Red  Polled  cattle 
were  imported  to  the  United  States. 

Red  Polled  characteristics.  Animals  of  this  breed  present  the 
dual-purpose  type  in  its  truest  form,  for  good  specimens  yield 
milk  liberally  and  fatten  satisfactorily  on  drying  off,  producing 
a  good  grade  of  beef.  The  head  is  lean  in  type  and  presents  the 
characteristic  poll.  The  top  of  the  head  should  show  the  true 
poll,  and  any  scurs,  or  evidence  of  horny  growth,  will  disqualify. 
The  poll  of  the  bull  is  not  so  sharply  pointed  as  with  the  cow.  The 
neck  of  both  bull  and  cow  lacks  the  fullness  of  the  beef  breeds, 
the  cows  being  notably  thinner  in  this  respect.  The  withers  are 
only  moderately  broad,  and  the  shoulders  resemble  those  of  the 
Shorthorn  rather  than  the  Hereford.  The  body  is  usually  very 
well  ribbed  and  the  back  strong,  but  is  not  fleshed  over  in  a 
prominent  degree.  The  hips  lack  prominence  and  cover  easily 
in  fattening.  The  hind  quarter  presents  the  thinner  beef  form, 
as  shown  in  the  leaner  rump,  thinner  thigh,  and  shallower  twist. 
The  udder  frequently  is  more  or  less  pendant,  the  fore  part 
commonly  being  deficient,  while  large  teats  are  frequently  seen, 
although  in  this  latter  particular  the  breed  has  improved  in  recent 
years,  The  udders  are  not  commonly  meaty  with  this  breed,  but 


454 


CATTLE 


rather  are  mellow  and  elastic.  Fair  milk  veins  and  wells  occur  ;  in 
fact,  Arthur  Young,  over  a  century  ago,  commented  on  the  large 
size  of  the  milk  veins  on  the  Suffolk  cow.  The  quality  of  the 
Red  Polled  may  be  classed  as  fair. 

The  color  of  the  Red  Polled  varies  from  light  to  dark  red,  a 
medium  shade  being  most  common.  The  British  standard  of  color 
is  blood  red,  with  a  deep  red  for  preference.  The  American 
standard  of  color,  as  adopted  by  the  Red  Polled  Cattle  Club  of 
America  in  1907,  is  as  follows:  Any  shade  of  red.  The  switch 
of  the  tail  and  the  udder  may  be  white,  with  some  white  running 

forward  to  the  navel. 
Nose  of  a  clear  flesh 
color.  Interior  of  ears 
should  be  of  a  yellow- 
ish, waxy  color.  Ob- 
jectionable features  of 
color,  as  based  on  the 
American  scale  of 
points,  are  an  extreme 
dark  or  an  extreme 
light  red,  and  a  cloudy 
nose  or  one  with  dark 
spots.  The  British  as- 
sociation objects  to  any 
extension  of  white  in 

front  of  the  udder,  any  white  on  a  bull  except  on  tip  of  the  tail,  and 
a  cloudy  or  dark  nose.  A  blue  or  black  nose,  any  white,  excepting 
on  the  tip  of  tail,  the  udder,  or  "for  a  short  way  under  the  body," 
and  any  other  color  than  red  disqualifies  a  Red  Polled  in  England. 
The  size  of  the  Red  Polled  is  about  medium.  A  number  of  weights 
of  well-known  animals  of  the  breed  are  as  follows :  bulls  —  Pando 
1254  (mature),  2270  pounds  ;  Parole  19363  (at  three  years),  1975 
pounds;  Proctor  Knot  12083  (mature),  2050  pounds;  Patriarch 
6482  (at  three  years),  2460  pounds ;  Demon  5 421,  a  noted  show  bull 
(mature),  2100  pounds;  Wild  Roy  1105  (mature),  2480  pounds  ; 
Dasher  13481  (mature),  2130  pounds;  Curies'  22d  20245  (at 
fourteen  months),  920  pounds.  Cows  — 24888  Pear,  1440  pounds ; 
28400  Pattie,  1500  pounds;  28991  J.  D.  Pear,  1400  pounds; 


FIG.  200.  10097  Chloe  (Ti),  second-prize  Red 
Polled  cow  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Expo- 
sition, 1903.  Owned  by  the  late  J.  McLain  Smith, 
secretary  of  the  Red  Polled  Cattle  Association. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  RED  POLLED  455 

11084  Claribel  3d  (mature  form),  1200  pounds;  14001  The  Nun 
(mature),  1650  pounds;  31/25  Beauty  (mature),  1750  pounds; 
6643  Pochahontas  (mature),  1600  pounds ;  2694  Chic  (mature), 
1670  pounds.  An  average  weight  for  mature  bulls  is  about  1800 
to  2000  pounds  and  for  cows  approximately  1250  to  1500  pounds. 

Red  Polled  cattle  as  beef  producers  hold  very  good  rank. 
While  as  a  rule  they  do  not  win  the  highest  honors  in  open 
competition  in  the  great  beef-show  rings,  they  feed  to  a  point 
Q£  profitable  production  for  the  stockman  and  make  a  very  good 
class  of  beef  for  the  consumer.  This  beef  is  not  usually  so  fat 
as  that  produced  by  some  breeds,  the  outside  of  the  frame  not 
being  so  heavily  covered.  Red  Polled  steers  also  tend  to  be 
somewhat  long  of  leg.  Numerous  cases  may  be  cited  to  show 
that  the  steers  gain  rapidly  and  show  well.  At  the  1889  Smith- 
field  Club  Show  two  Red  Polled  two-year-old  steers  showed  the 
largest  daily  gain  of  anything  on  exhibition  of  that  class,  namely, 
2.18  and  2.29  pounds  each.  One  of  these  afterwards  was  made 
champion  as  the  best  steer  on  exhibition  at  the  Norfolk  Fat- 
Stock  Show.  At  the  Smithfield  show  in  1890  a  Red  Polled  steer 
dressed  73.72  per  cent,  the  highest  per  cent  dressed  out  at  the 
show.  This,  however,  is  an  extreme  figure.  Each  year  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition  at  Chicago  there  has  been 
a  small  exhibit  of  Red  Polled  steers,  too  many  of  which  brought 
discredit  to  the  breed,  being  inferior  in  conformation  and  in  low 
condition.  From  year  to  year  there  have  been  one  or  two  Red 
Polled  steers  in  the  International  carcass  contests.  Eleven  two- 
year-old  steers,  covering  the  years  1904  to  1916,  showed  live 
weights  ranging  from  1188  to  1680  pounds,  dressed  weights  of 
774  to  1087  pounds,  and  per  cent  of  carcass  to  offal  of  from 
61.41  to  68.71.  Red  Polled  steers  in  good  flesh  on  the  open 
market  bring  a  fair  price. 

Red  Polled  cattle  as  milk  producers  have  long  held  high  rank, 
and  a  large  number  of  records  might  be  cited  to  show  the  value 
of  the  breed  in  the  dairy.  In  public  tests  the  breed  has  stood 
well.  At  the  Pan-American  dairy  test  in  1901  five  Red  Polled 
cows  took  fifth  rank  among  ten  breeds,  showing  a  net  profit  of 
$201.61  for  six  months.  Among  the  50  cows  tested,  the  cow 
8025  Mayflower  2d  Ai2  stood  second,  producing  6161  pounds 


456 


CATTLE 


milk  and  323  pounds  estimated  butter,  showing  a  net  profit  in 
the  fat  test  of  $52.10.  In  recent  years  the  breed  has  been  making 
some  very  high-class  milking  records.  One  of  the  most  noted 
Red  Polled  herds  in  England  until  recently  was  that  of  Lord 
Rothschild  at  Tring  Park,  where  records  of  yearly  production 
were  kept.  The  average  records  between  1898  and  1910,  with  a 


FIG.  201.  2965  Mayflower  (Ai2),  a  Red  Polled  cow  of  dairy  type,  noted  as  the 
founder  of  the  Mayflower  family.  This  cow  gave  11,008  pounds  of  milk  from 
July  18,  1892,  to  July  10,  1893,  and  43,1 18£  pounds  of  milk  in  four  years  from 
August  i,  1890,  to  July  31,  1894.  Owned  by  the  late  V.  T.  Hills,  Delaware,  Ohio. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Captain  Hills 

herd  numbering  approximately  40  head,  ranged  from  6174  to 
7116  pounds  per  cow.  In  1903  fifteen  herds  contributed  records 
of  their  daily  milk  yield  to  the  "  English  Red  Polled  Society 
Herdbook."  Of  267  cows  which  had  produced  in  the  year,  having 
had  their  second  calf  or  more,  194  gave  a  total  yield  for  the  year 
of  5000  pounds  and  over.  Thirteen  of  these  gave  9000  pounds 
and  over,  the  best  record  being  10,392  pounds.  The  cow  2965 
Mayflower  A 12,  in  the  herd  of  V.  T.  Hills  of  Ohio,  produced 


THE  RED  POLLED  457 

from  July  18,  1892,  to  July  10,  1893,  a  total  of  11,008  pounds  of 
milk  ;  while  for  four  years,  from  August  i,  1890,  to  July  31,  1894, 
she  produced  43,118!  pounds  of  milk,  or  a  daily  average  of  about 
25  pounds.  The  London  Live  Stock Journal 'in  1898  published  the 
milk  record  of  a  Red  Polled  cow  of  13,126  pounds  in  three  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  days,  an  average  of  37.82  pounds  daily.  This 
same  journal  also  reports  on  the  Red  Polled  cow  Hester,  that  from 
October,  1890,  to  October,  1904,  produced  the  remarkable  yield  of 
84,177  pounds  of  milk,  an  average  yield  for  fourteen  years  of 
6012  pounds  per  year.  Hester  was  also  a  very  successful  show 
cow  in  England.  Among  the  more  prominent  herds  in  America 
is  that  of  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms,  in  Minnesota,  where  official  testing 
has  been  in  progress  for  some  years.  In  1913  twenty-four  cows 
in  the  herd  averaged  for  the  year  7645.7  pounds  of  milk,  and  in 
1914  a  herd  of  the  same  size  averaged  9818.1  pounds.  The 
largest  annual  milk  record  of  a  Red  Polled  cow  to  January,  1918, 
is  that  of  Jean  Du  Luth  Beauty,  producing  20,280.6  pounds,  a 
wonderful  showing.  Jean  Du  Luth  Pear  in  two  years  produced 
30,136.8  pounds  of  milk.  The  cow  Pear  has  the  most  remarkable 
record,  having  in  seven  consecutive  years  produced  67,548.6 
pounds  of  milk,  a  yearly  average  of  9649.8  pounds.  In  1918 
the  same  cow  had  seven  living  daughters  and  one  son  in  the 
herd  where  she  is  owned. 

Red  Polled  cattle  as  butter  producers  stand  very  well.  Their 
milk  tests  about  3.8  per  cent  fat,  although  many  cases  show  even 
better.  The  average  of  Mayflower  for  four  years  by  Babcock  test 
is  4.35  per  cent  butter  fat.  At  the  Pan-American  Exposition  the 
five  Red  Polled  cows  produced  in  six  months  1319.45  pounds 
churned  butter  valued  at  $329.86,  with  Mayflower  2d  second  in 
the  butter-fat  test.  In  this  test  the  average  butter-fat  content  was 
3.98  per  cent.  In  the  Jean  Du  Luth  herd  the  average  annual 
yield  of  butter  fat  per  cow  in  1908  was  259  pounds;  in  1909, 
257.8  pounds;  in  1910,  264.9  pounds;  in  1912,  268  pounds;  in 
1913,  316.27  pounds;  and  in  1914,  403.5  pounds.  The  leading 
record  in  butter  fat  for  a  Red  Polled  aged  cow  is  that  of  31725 
Jean  Du  Luth  Beauty,  of  891.55  pounds  of  fat.  The  cow  31787 
Jean  Du  Luth  Dorothy,  in  four-year  form,  produced  571.4  pounds 
fat,  while  the  two-year-old  heifer  34870  Jean  Du  Luth  Lady 


458 


CATTLE 


Watts  gave  a  yield  of  412.4  pounds  of  fat.  28991  Jean  Du  Luth 
Pear  in  two  consecutive  years  produced  1253.58  pounds  butter 
fat,  while  her  dam  24888  Pear  in  seven  consecutive  years  made 
3094.5  pounds  of  fat,  or  an  annual  average  of  442  pounds.  Fifty 
cows  in  the  Jean  Du  Luth  herd  have  official  butter-fat  records 
which  average  468  pounds.  Not  many  Red  Polled  cows,  however, 
have  official  records  of  400  or  more  pounds  of  butter  fat  in  a 


FIG..  202.   31725  Jean  Du  Luth  Beauty,  one  of  the  greatest  producing  Red  Polled 
cows,  with  an  official  record  of  20,280.6  pounds  of  milk  and  891.55  pounds  of  fat 
in  a  year.    Owned  by  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms,  Nickerson,  Minnesota.    From  photo- 
graph, by  courtesy  of  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms 

year,  and  on  the  basis  of  published  reports  300  pounds  would 
make  a  very  creditable  showing  for  many  herds  of  the  breed. 
The  use  of  the  Red  Polled  cattle  in  crossing  or  grading  may  be 
beneficial  from  either  the  beef  or  dairy  point  of  view.  Red  Polled 
bulls  used  on  the  beef  type  should  increase  the  milk-producing 
character  of  the  descendants,  but  may  lower  the  meat  standard 
somewhat.  Used  on  the  dairy  breeds,  the  beef  character  should 
be  improved  in  the  offspring,  but  whether  the  dairy  qualities  will 
be  benefited  will  depend  on  the  kind  of  dam  used,  better  results 
coming  where  a  small  milker  rather  than  a  large  producer  is 


THE  RED  POLLED  459 

mated.  Red  Polled  cattle  are  very  prepotent  and  will  transmit 
their  red  color  and  polled  heads  with  much  uniformity  when  used 
on  other  breeds  or  grades. 

The  temperament  of  Red  Polled  cattle  tends  to  be  of  the  ner- 
vous sort,  as  might  be  expected  of  a  type  midway  between  beef 
and  dairy  conformation.  The  disposition  inclines  to  be  less  mild 
than  with  the  Shorthorn,  Jersey,  or  Holstein-Friesian,  although 
the  Red  Polled  responds  readily  to  kindly  treatment.  However, 
the  animals  in  average  herds  are  less  friendly  and  individuals 
are  more  easily  excited  than  obtains  with  our  prominent  breeds. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Red  Polled  is  very  marked.  One  rarely 
sees  much  variation  in  color  or  character  of  poll  in  a  herd  of 
pure-bred  Red  Polled,  or  if  changes  do  occur  in  these  two  par- 
ticulars, as  a  rule  they  may  be  attributed  to  the  introduction 
of  outside  blood  that  has  broken  the  normal  line  of  breeding. 
Pure-bred  bulls  used  in  grade  herds  reproduce  the  notable  breed 
characteristics  in  a  marked  degree.  The  following  interesting 
evidence  of  Red  Polled  prepotency  is  quoted  from  "  Bruni "  in 
The  Australasian,  relative  to  the  use  of  bulls  of  this  breed  on 
Shorthorn,  Hereford,  and  Aberdeen-Angus  cows  : 

What  was  my  surprise  on  seeing  the  young  cattle  of  the  Hereford-Red 
Polled  cross  at  Warribee  Park,  to  find  the  Hereford  type  almost  obliterated. 
The  horns  are  gone,  the  frame  is  that  of  a  Red  Polled,  and,  instead  of  the 
white  face,  there  are  only  a  few  oddly  shaped  white  blotches.  But  that  no  spot 
of  white  is  seen  on  the  dark  red  hide,  save  on  the  face,  no  one  looking  at  them 
would  suspect  they  had  Hereford  blood  in  their  veins. 

The  prolificacy  of  Red  Polled  cattle  is  probably  above  the 
average.  Being  naturally  very  hardy  and  active  they  reproduce 
readily.  One  will  find  in  the  records  ample  evidence  of  cows 
producing  good-sized  families.  5671  Lucretia  2d,  on  the  Borden 
Stock  Farm  in  Illinois,  between  1895  and  1905,  produced  ten 
calves.  It  is  reported  that  the  cow  Ai  Primrose  dropped  her  last 
calf  at  twenty-six  years  of  age.  Mr.  J.  W.  Martin,  the  most 
experienced  of  American  Red  Polled  breeders,  reports  3993 
Dorothy  as  having  dropped  thirteen  calves  up  to  fifteen  years  of 
age,  and  refers  to  4589  Hemithea  as  heavy  in  calf  at  eighteen 
years  of  age.  While  these  are  extreme  cases,  they  show  something 
of  the  producing  capacity  within  the  breed. 


460  CATTLE 

Groups  and  tribes  of  Red  Polled  cattle  gradually  developed 
from  the  various  lines  of  breeding.  The  first  volume  of  the  herd- 
book  classes  the  united  breed  into  twenty-five  groups  of  foundation 
stock,  each  indicated  by  a  letter  of  the  alphabet,  as  A,  B,  C,  etc., 
these  including  numerous  tribes  or  families.  The  first  volume 
gave  233  tribes,  and  later  these  increased  to  385,  but  at  present 
only  about  200  tribes  are  represented  in  the  registration.  While 
the  group  will  remain  the  same  in  letter  the  tribes  naturally  vary 
in  number.  The  method  has  an  advantage  in  studying  pedigrees, 
for  with  it  the  group  and  tribe  relationship  is  shown.  The  groups 
made  up  certain  foundation  herds.  For  example,  the  A  group 
comprises  the  cows  in  the  Elmham  herd  or  owned  by  tenants  of 
the  estate  of  that  name  ;  the  B  group,  the  cows  in  the  Biddell 
herds  and  others  in  the  vicinity  ;  etc.  Thus  Ai  refers  to  a  founda- 
tion cow  in  the  Elmham  herd  named  Primrose ;  Bio,  to  a  cow  in 
the  Manfred  Biddell  herd  named  Bury  ;  etc.  Differing  from  other 
cattle  associations,  the  registration  number  of  the  cow  precedes 
the  name  (as,  421  Primrose  Ai),  while  the  number  of  the  bull 
follows  his  name  in  the  customary  manner.  None  of  the  above 
groups  trace  far  back  of  the  first  volume  of  the  herdbook,  some 
being  comparatively  recent. 

Important  tribes  of  Red  Polled  cattle.  The  factor  that  has 
played  the  largest  part  in  giving  distinction  to  a  tribe  of  this  breed 
has  been  milk  production.  This  especially  applies  to  the  United 
States.  The  following  may  be  regarded  as  the  more  notable 
tribes  :  Mayflower,  descended  from  2965  Mayflower,  by  Mason 
698  ;  Dorothy,  descended  from  3993  Dorothy,  by  Falstaff  303  ; 
Pear,  descended  from  12789  Plum,  by  Didlington  Dandy  2683  ; 
Popsey,  descended  from  9689  Popsey  3d,  by  Red  Shirt  2014; 
Princess,  descended  from  2146  Davy  Princess,  by  Davyson 
;th  476. 

Red  Polled  sires  of  note  are  not  found  in  considerable  number 
in  the  American  history  of  the  breed,  and  some  through  shrewd 
advertising  have  been  given  more  credit  than  the  records  justify. 
An  important  reason  why  this  list  is  short  is  that  until  compar- 
atively recently  but  little  effort  has  been  made  to  conduct  official 
milk  or  butter-fat  tests.  Further,  there  are  but  few  well-known 
herds  that  have  been  in  continuous  operation  for  many  years. 


THE  RED  POLLED  461 

The  following  sires  are  among  those  best  known  :  Falstaff  303  ; 
Troston  423  ;  Wild  Roy  1 105  ;  Pando  1254  ;  Iowa  Davyson  2oth 
2773;  The  Ensign  3096;  Corporal  4313,  sire  of  Proctor  Knott 
12092  and  24888  Pear,  the  most  remarkable  animals  of  the. 
breed;  Popular  8561;  and  Proctor  Knott  12092,  sire  of  ten 
daughters  in  the  Advanced  Registry  with  average  records  of  391.7 
pounds  butter  fat  in  a  year. 

The  distribution  of  Red  Polled  cattle  is  widespread,  yet  the 
breed  cannot  be  regarded  as  common.  In  Britain  it  is  mainly 
bred  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk  counties,  although  large  herds  exist 
elsewhere,  and  considerable  milk  is  shipped  to  London  from  Red 


FIG.  203.    Red  Polled  cows  on  pasture,  Evergreen  Farm,  Newark,  Ohio.    From 
photograph  by  the  author 

Polled  herds.  Specimens  of  the  breed  have  been  exported  from 
England  to  Russia,  South  Africa,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  Canada, 
and  the  United  States.  In  the  United  States  it  is  pretty  well  dis- 
tributed, mainly  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  as  far  south  as 
Texas.  The  more  prominent  herds  are  found  in  Ohio,  Wisconsin, 
Illinois,  Minnesota,  and  Iowa.  The  breed  is  fairly  well  adapted  to 
a  wide  range  of  climate,  being,  perhaps,  best  suited  to  temperate 
latitudes. 

Organizations  to  promote  Red  Polled  cattle  interests  exist  in 
England  and  the  United  States.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  late 
Henry  F.  Euren  a  herdbook  was  published  in  England  in  1874, 
and  this  work  he  continued  until  1888,  when  the  Red  Polled 
Society  of  England  was  organized.  The  American  Red  Polled 
Cattle  Club  was  organized  in  1883  at  Chicago.  In  1887  the 
first  American  herdbook  appeared.  This  contained  also  the 


462  CATTLE 

registrations  in  the  first  six  volumes  of  the  English  society.  From 
that  period,  up  to  1901  inclusive,  the  American  herdbook  also 
contained  the  registrations  of  the  English  book,  thus  including 
all  Red  Polled  registrations  in  England  and  America.  At  present 
only  American-owned  animals  are  recorded  in  the  American  herd- 
book,  which,  up  to  1919,  included  thirty-one  volumes  and  the 
registration  of  85,250  animals.  The  promotion  of  the  Red  Polled 
in  America  has  lacked  the  influence  of  progressive  breeders  willing 
to  spend  money  to  place  these  cattle  prominently  before  the  public. 
Comparatively  little  has  been  done  thus  far  in  the  United  States 
through  official  testing  to  show  Red  Polled  capacity  in  milk  and 
butter-fat  production.  But  one  herd  stands  out  prominently  in 
this  work  in  America  —  that  of  Jean  Du  Luth  Farms.  Most  of 
the  herds  of  the  country  are  inactive  in  demonstrating  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  breed.  One  sees  very  little  in  American  journals 
setting  forth  the  merits  of  Red  Polled  cattle.  In  Great  Britain, 
however,  breeders  are  active  in  producing  records,  and  British 
journals  are  at  present  giving  much  information  concerning  the 
same.  Present-day  publicity  in  both  England  and  Ireland  indicates 
a  greatly  increased  interest  in  Red  Polled  cattle  abroad. 


CHAPTER  XLI 


THE  BROWN  SWISS 

The  native  home  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  is  in  northern  and  east- 
ern Switzerland,  more  especially  in  the  section  adjacent  to  Lake 
Lucerne,  in  the  cantons  of  Lucerne,  Schwyz,  Uri,  and  Zug.  This 
is  a  region  combining  beautiful  valleys  and  high  mountains.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  the  cattle  are  kept  in  the  barns  in  the  lowlands, 


FIG.  204.    A  map  of  Switzerland  showing  the  different  cantons  or  provinces 

while  in  the  summer  they  are  pastured  on  meadows  high  up  on 
the  mountains.  Many  stables  are  located  in  small  Swiss  villages, 
and  during  the  summer  the  cattle  are  each  day  driven  out  to  pas- 
ture and  are  returned  at  night.  This  is  a  hardy  mountain  breed 
and  in  general  subsists  on  pasture  or  hay,  but  very  little  grain 
being  fed. 

The  origin  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  is  probably  prehistoric.  Horns, 
skulls,  and  other  bones  have  been  found  in  the  Swiss  lake  dwell- 
ings, dating  back  to  the  Bronze  Age,  that  closely  resemble  those 
of  the  Brown  Swiss  of  to-day.  It  is  generally  conceded  that  the 
breed  is  very  ancient  and  that  it  has  long  been  bred  with  much 
purity  and  care  by  Swiss  farmers. 

463 


464  CATTLE 

The  introduction  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  to  America  first  occurred 
in  1869,  when  H.  M.  Clark  of  Belmont,  Massachusetts,  purchased 
of  Colonel  G.  Biirgi  of  Arth,  canton  of  Schwyz,  seven  heifers 
and  one  bull,  which  soon  after  their  arrival  were  resold  to 
D.  G.  Aldrich  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and  David  Hall  of 
Providence,  Rhode  Island.  In  1882  Scott  &  Harris  of  Massachu- 
setts and  Connecticut  imported  nine  two-year-old  heifers  and  a 
bull  and  in  1883  ten  heifers.  In  1884  William  Koch  of  New  York 


FIG.  205.    A  Swiss  farm  home  near  Lucerne.    Photographed  by  the  author 

imported  five  two-year-old  heifers  and  a  bull,  and  the  same  year 
Eldredge  and  Ryder  of  New  York  imported  one  three-year-old, 
ten  heifers,  and  a  bull.  In  1890  E.  M.  Barton  of  Illinois  imported 
fourteen  head.  In  1904  McLaury  Brothers  of  New  York  made 
an  importation,  from  which  they  showed  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase 
Exposition  at  St.  Louis.  In  1906  E.  M.  Barton  imported  five 
bulls  and  thirty-four  heifers,  the  largest  importation  in  many  years. 
Owing  to  the  continual  presence  of  foot-and-mouth  disease  in 
much  of  western  Europe  the  United  States  government  has  not 
permitted  importation  in  recent  years. 

The  characteristics  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle.  This  is  essentially 
a  dual-purpose  breed  of  uniform  and  distinct  breed  character, 
although  the  Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  of  the 


THE  BROWN  SWISS 


465 


United  States  has  classed  it  as  a  dairy  breed.  The  author  has 
spent  some  time  in  Switzerland  among  these  cattle,  and  all  the 
evidence  there,  as  expressed  by  breeders  and  shown  in  the  cattle, 
is  that  it  is  a  dual-purpose  breed.  The  general  type  of  Brown 
Swiss  cattle  is  distinctly  blocky,  the  points  being  full  from  breast 
to  hind  quarters,  showing  thickness  and  depth.  Breeders  in  Swit- 
zerland regard  the  cattle  on  the  higher  mountains  as  of  a  some- 
what lighter  type  than  those  of  the  lowlands.  The  head  is  rather 


FIG.  206.   Tell,  fifth-prize  Brown  Swiss  bull  at  Zug,  Switzerland,  1913.   This  bull 

scored  83.5  points.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Joseph  Frey,  secretary  of 

Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Association,  Lucerne 

heavy  and,  combining  as  it  does  a  sizable  horn  and  a  fullness  of 
the  neck  quite  unknown  with  British  breeds,  impresses  one  as 
somewhat  coarse.  The  neck  is  large  and  heavy  in  both  sexes  at 
all  ages,  the  skin  about  the  throatlatch  and  along  the  dewlap  being 
strikingly  abundant.  The  breast  is  broad  and  deep,  and  the  shoulders 
rather  heavy  and  prominent,  not  being  well  laid  in.  The  body 
shows  a  great  deal  of  feeding  capacity,  with  plenty  of  depth ;  but 
the  back  is  frequently  slack  back  of  the  withers,  and  the  fore  ribs 
have  scarcely  enough  spring  for  best  conformation.  The  hind 
quarter  is  long,  level,  and  broad  at  the  rump,  the  thighs  and  twist 


466  CATTLE 

incline  to  be  distinctly  beefy,  and  the  legs  are  short  and  strong. 
The  cows  have  large  udders,  frequently  long,  wide,  and  deep,  with 
well-placed  teats  of  convenient  size.  The  milk  veins  and  wells 
average  medium  in  size,  comparing  fairly  with  dairy  breeds.  The 
quality,  from  the  standpoint  of  an  American,  averages  rather 
below  medium,  as  is  very  commonly  seen  in  the  thick,  none  too 
elastic,  deep-yellow  skin,  rather  coarse  hair,  large  joints,  and  heavy 
head,  neck,  and  fore  quarters.  In  temperament  cattle  of  this  breed 
are  superior,  being  especially  quiet  and  docile. 

The  color  of  the  Brown  Swiss,  as  indicated  by  the  name,  is 
brown,  varying  in  shade.  The  color  as  approved  by  the  Swiss 
breeders  is  given  as  follows  * : 

The  color  of  the  animals  of  this  race  goes  from  dark  brown  and  gray  (the 
color  of  coffee  and  of  chestnuts)  to  light  brown  and  light  gray.  The  opposite 
colors  are  mostly  found  among  the  animals  of  minor  weight.  At  the  present 
time  the  gray  color  prevails  in  all  the  different  tints  from  light  to  dark.  .  .  . 
According  to  the  different  parts  of  the  body  the  color  is  more  or  less  pro- 
nounced. All  the  animals  have  a  muzzle  of  the  color  of  lead,  with  a  lighter 
rim  all  around.  The  underlip,  the  interior  of  the  ears,  the  interior  part  of  the 
limbs,  especially  the  fore  limbs,  the  udder,  and  the  escutcheon  are  also  lighter 
than  the  rest  of  the  body.  Generally  these  cattle  have  a  stripe  more  or  less 
light  or  broad  on  their  backs,  going  from  the  withers  to  the  tail,  but  this  line 
is  sometimes  broken. 

At  one  time  white  spots  occurred  on  Brown  Swiss  cattle,  but  since 
the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  animals  with  spots  have  been 
barred  from  exhibition  unless  the  spots  are  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  belly.  The  horns,  which  are  comparatively  short  and  curve 
forward  and  upward,  have  black  tips.  The  hoofs  are  black  and  the 
tongue  and  muzzle  are  very  dark. 

The  size  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  varies  according  to  type,  whether 
light  or  heavy.  The  Swiss  Union  of  Cattle  Breeders  gives  the 
following  as  average  weights  at  maturity:  bulls,  1870  to  2090 
pounds;  cows,  1320  to  1430  pounds.  E.  M.  Barton,  in  a  pam- 
phlet relative  to  his  own  herd,  states  that  the  average  cow  in  a  herd 
in  milk  weighs  1300  to  1400  pounds  and  1500  fat.  He  also  states 
that  bulls  in  good  condition  weigh  from  1700  to  2500  pounds. 
The  latter  weight,  however,  is  rather  exceptional,  and  mature  bulls 

1  The  Bovine  Breed  of  Switzerland.  A  pamphlet  published  about  1906  by  the 
Swiss  Union  of  Cattle  Breeders. 


THE  BROWN  SWISS 


467 


more  commonly  weigh  from  1500  to  1800  pounds.  The  Brown 
Swiss  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  in  the  scale  of  points  give  no 
weight  standards.  It  is  thought  by  some  that  the  two  sexes  more 
nearly  approach  each  other  in  weight  than  with .  most  breeds.  - 
The  Brown  Swiss  in  crossing  or  grading  will  do  very  well  where 
mated  with  stock  lacking  in  vigor,  for  this  breed  is  of  superior 
vigor  and  hardiness.  No  doubt  many  grade  dairy  herds  of  Jersey 
or  Guernsey  character  would  have  vigor  restored  by  a  Brown  Swiss 


FIG.  207.    Rosi,  gold-medal  Brown   Swiss  cow  at  Lucerne,   Switzerland,   1911. 
From  photograph  by  Richard  Oehler,  Lucerne 

cross,  as  well  as  a  higher  value  from  the  butcher's  point  of  view. 
At  the  Michigan  Agricultural  College  Brown  Swiss  have  been 
crossed  on  Red  Polled,  Jersey,  and  Holstein-Friesian  grades,  and 
in  every  case,  says  Professor  R.  S.  Shaw,  Swiss  characteristics 
stand  out  prominently.  Especial  emphasis  is  given  to  the  supe- 
riority of  a  carcass  —  the  product  of  a  Brown  Swiss  bull  from 
a  Red  Polled  cow  —  which  weighed  1280  pounds  as  a  yearling 
and  dressed  out  61  per  cent. 

The  prepotency  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  is  very  marked,  which 
naturally  would  be  the  case,  considering  the  length  of  time  in 


468 


CATTLE 


which  they  have  been  bred  under  uniform  conditions.  In  the 
essential  characteristics  of  color  and  general  conformation,  pre- 
potency is  very  manifest. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Brown  Swiss  to  a  wide  range  of  con- 
ditions seems  apparent.  The  native  home  of  these  cattle  is  in  the 
mountains,  where  they  thrive  on  rations  that  would  not  be  regarded 
as  satisfactory  in  America,  and  where  they  are  distinctly  hardy. 
The  herds  kept  in  the  more  sterile  sections  of  the  eastern  United 
States  seem  to  thrive  equally  well  with  those  in  the  corn  belt 
of  the  West.  No  doubt  they  have  a  special  place  in  dairy  sections, 
notably  in  the  more  elevated  regions,  where  a  rugged  breed  is 

. ,     desirable.     From   the 

profit  point  of  view 
it  is  doubtful  if  they 
can  compete  satisfac- 
torily with  some  of 
our  other  breeds  in 
the  fertile  West. 

The  Brown  Swiss 
cattle  in  milk  produc- 
tion make  a  remarka- 
bly creditable  showing. 
Numerous  records  of 


FIG.  208.   Waldi,  second-prize  Brown  Swiss  bull  at 
Lucerne,  1913.    From  photograph  by  the   author 


Swiss  dairies  show  comparatively  large  production  for  these  cows. 
F.  H.  Mason,  as  United  States  consul  in  Switzerland,  reports 
that  at  Cham  the  6000  cows  supplying  the  Anglo-Swiss  Con- 
densed Milk  Company  yielded  5315  pounds  each.  These  cows 
were  milked  for  an  average  of  about  nine  months  and  were  fed 
only  grass  and  hay.  The  average  annual  production  of  72  herds 
in  Switzerland,  as  published  from  records  gathered  by  the  Swiss 
Union  of  Cattle  Breeders,1  shows  an  average  yield  of  4985.8 
kilos,  or  10,969  pounds,  with  an  average  fat  content  of  3.88  per 
cent.  The  first  recorded  test  of  a  Brown  Swiss  cow  in  America 
proved  very  sensational,  for  on  this  occasion  the  cow  Brienz 
1 68,  in  November,  1891,  at  the  American  Fat-Stock  Show,  pro- 
duced 81.7  pounds  of  milk  per  day  for  three  days,  which  con- 
tained a  total  of  9.32  pounds  fat.  For  many  years  this  was  one 

1  The  Bovine  Breeds  of  Switzerland,  p.  20. 


THE  BROWN  SWISS 


469 


of  the  notable  milk  and  butter-fat  records.  In  the  Pan-American 
dairy  test  in  1901  the  5  Brown  Swiss  cows  stood  third  in  total  milk 
solids  produced,  eighth  in  net  profit  in  fat,  and  fourth  in  pounds 
of  milk  produced,  being  surpassed  in  milk  yield  by  the  Holstein- 
Friesian,  Ayrshire,  and  Shorthorn  respectively.  In  net  profit  in 
the  six-months  test  the  highest  rank  attained  by  a  Brown  Swiss 


FIG.  209.    College  Bravura  2d,  2577,  a  Brown  Swiss  cow  owned  by  the  Michigan 

Agricultural  College.    She  has  an  official  record  of  19,460.6  pounds  of  milk  and 

798.16  pounds  of  fat,  surpassing  any  other  cow  of  the  breed.    From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  Michigan  Agricultural  College 

among  50  head  of  ten  breeds  was  nineteenth,  the  cow  Bell  T. 
showing  a  net  profit  of  $41.23  compared  with  $59.21  for  the  cow 
in  first  place,  a  Guernsey,  Mary  Marshall.  At  the  Louisiana  Pur- 
chase Exposition  in  1904,  in  the  dairy-cattle  test  the  Brown  Swiss 
averaged  42.2  pounds  of  milk  daily,  containing  1.6  pound  fat,  com- 
pared with  33.77  pounds  milk  and  1.20  pound  fat  at  the  Pan- 
American  dairy  test.  The  Louisiana  Purchase  cattle  were,  however, 
quite  superior  individuals  to  those  in  the  Pan-American  test. 


470 


CATTLE 


The  Register  of  Production  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  was  established 
in  the  year  191 1.  "  If  the  test  commences  with  a  cow  the  day  she 
is  two  years  and  six  months  old,  or  previous  to  that  time,  she  shall 
produce  not  less  than  6000  pounds.  For  each  day  the  animal  is 
over  two  years  and  six  months  old  at  the  beginning  of  the  test, 
2.35  pounds  of  milk  shall  be  added  to  the  required  amount.  This 
ratio  shall  apply  until  the  animal  is  six  years  old,  when  it  will  have 

reached  9000,  which 
shall  be  the  required 
amount  for  all  mature 
cows."  In  butter  fat 
222  pounds  is  the 
standard  for  the  cow 
two  and  one-half  years 
old,  with  an  addition 
of  .09  pound  of  fat 
daily  until  she  is  six, 
when  337  pounds  be- 
comes the  standard  for 

FIG.  210.  McAlpine,  a  prize-winning  Brown  Swiss  ]}  mfl(.nrpmw«.  There 
cow  owned  by  the  late  E.  M.  Barton,  Hinsdale,  ^ 

Illinois.    From  photograph  by  the  author  are  five  age  classes  for 

tested  cows :  two,  three, 

four,  five,  and  mature.  Bulls  are  in  two  classes :  A,  with  two 
accepted  daughters  from  different  dams,  each  bull  scaling  at  least 
80  points ;  and  B,  without  being  scaled  but  with  four  accepted 
daughters  from  different  dams.  The  following  are  the  ten  most 
notable  records  in  the  Register  of  Production,  to  January  i,  1918 : 


NAME  AND  NUMBER 

AGE 
CLASS 

POUNDS 
(MILK) 

POUNDS 
(FAT) 

College  Bravura  2d  2577     .... 

Mature 

19  460  6 

798  1  6 

lola  ^Q'*'} 

Five 

1  6  844  6 

68  C  47 

Kalista  W.  2905  .    

Mature 

1  6  609  ^ 

6  <\O  72 

My  one  Baby  3378    . 

Five 

i  ^  760  6 

vy.,}* 

CQ  P    S-I 

Five 

i  ^670.  c; 

jyj-vj 
62886 

Ola  B.  4748 

Three 

i  ^  602  n 

c/i8  Q2 

Upland  Laura  ''ooi 

Five 

I  r  -3  C7  6 

578  r-7 

Militia  May  3542     

Five 

1J'JJ/<1-' 
M7QI   c 

O/'-'OJ 
6-34.81 

Merney  28  59 

Mature 

I  A  674.  7 

CQ6  Q4 

Merry  of  Allynhurst  4153  

Four 

I4,-?7i.-3 

C78  87 

THE  BROWN  SWISS 


471 


The  largest  two-year  record  in  milk  was  10,464.3  pounds  by 
Betty  of  Allynhurst  4539,  and  the  largest  yield  of  butter  fat 
454.24  by  Scallotta  K.  3993.  Ninety-four  cows  and  heifers  aver- 
aged 10,805.4  pounds  of  milk  and  431.91  pounds  of  fat. 

Brown  Swiss  cattle  as  beef  producers  rank  well  in  Switzerland 
and  produce  an  excellent  class  of  meat.  Brown  Swiss  veal  is 
of  superior  quality  when  well  fattened.  As  seen  in  the  Swiss 
markets,  the  carcasses  show  more  waste  than  occurs  with  the 
better-fed  carcasses  in 
England  or  the  United 
States.  Weights  of  400 
to  600  pounds  at  four 
to  six  months  old  are 
given  as  common,  and 
the  steers  dress  out  5  5 
to  60  per  cent.  But 
very  few  fat  Brown 
Swiss  cattle  have  been 
seen  in  America.  Pro- 
fessor R.  S.  Shaw 
reports  on  a  two-year 
steer  at  the  Michigan 
Agricultural  College 
which  had  a  live  weight 
of  1589  pounds  and 
dressed  60.6  per  cent. 

Two  yearlings  weighing  940  and  980  pounds  each  dressed  respec- 
tively 57.07  and  58.67  per  cent.  Regarding  the  yearlings  Professor 
Shaw  says1:  "The  hides  were  unusually  thick  and  heavy,  and 
the  bones  large  and  joints  prominent.  One  of  the  most  striking 
features  noticed  was  the  great  depth  of  natural  flesh  covering  the 
entire  region  of  the  back,  and  the  massive  development  of  the  hind 
quarters.  The  steers  were  three  and  four  inches  wider  at  the  thurl 
than  at  the  hook  points."  It  is  not  likely  that  cattle  of  this  type 
will  ever  become  popular  in  the  American  beef-cattle  market. 

The  distribution  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  is  rather  widespread, 
especially  in  eastern  Europe.    Prior  to  the  World  War  extensive 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  January  25,  1905. 


FIG.    211.     A    prize-winning    Brown    Swiss    heifer 

owned  by  I.  Burgi  &  Son,  Arth,  Switzerland.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 


4/2  CATTLE 

exportations  had  been  made  from  Switzerland  into  Hungary  and 
Italy,  where  these  cattle  were  regarded  with  favor.  They  are  also 
found  in  western  Austria,  Germany,  France,  Spain,  the  United 
States,  Canada,  Mexico,  Brazil,  and  Japan.  About  fifteen  thousand 
Brown  Swiss  cattle  have  been  registered  in  the  United  States, 
these  being  mostly  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  the  better-known 
herds  being  in 'New  York,  Ohio,  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin. 

The  promotion  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle  in  Switzerland  is  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Breeders'  Association, 
with  headquarters  at  Lucerne.  This  association  has  published 
several  herdbooks.  There  is  also  the  Union  of  the  Associations 
of  Cattle  Raisers  of  the  Swiss  Race.  In  this  country  the  Brown 
Swiss  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  of  America,  organized  in  1880, 
cares  for  the  promotion  of  the  breed  and  attends  to  registrations 
and  transfers.  Up  to  1919  there  have  been  published  five  herd- 
books,  showing  a  registration  of  6199  bulls  and  8899  cows. 


CHAPTER  XLII 

THE  DEVON 

The  native  home  of  the  Devon  breed  of  cattle  is  in  southwestern 
England,  in  the  counties  of  Devon  and  Somerset.  Devon  is 
washed  by  the  sea  on  its  north  and  south  borders,  while 
Somerset  also  borders  the  Bristol  Channel  on  the  north.  The 
section  contains  much  rough  and  hilly  land,  reaching  a  height  of 
even  2000  feet,  and  is  better  suited  to  grazing  than  tillage,  though 
the  soil  is  fertile.  In  the  southern  part  the  climate  is  mild  and 
balmy,  being  well  suited  to  outdoor  life  for  cattle  the  year  round. 

The  origin  of  the  Devon  is  prehistoric.  It  has  been  assumed 
that  the  breed  is  descended  from  Bos  longifrons,  the  smaller  type 
of  aboriginal  cattle  in  Britain.  The  earliest  English  records  show 
the  prevalence  of  cattle  in  Devon  of  a  color  and  type  indicative 
of  the  modern  breed.  The  early  British  writers  on  live  stock 
testify  to  its  ancient  character. 

The  early  improvers  of  the  Devon  were  Francis  Quartly  and 
his  brothers  William  and  Henry,  and  John  Tanner  Davy  and  his 
brother  William.  Besides  these  John  Tanner  Davy  gives  much 
credit  to  Merson  and  Michael  Thorn  of  North  Molton,  Tapp  and 
Buckingham  of  Twitchen,  Mogridge  and  Raises  of  Holland,  and 
others,  who  maintained  the  high  character  of  their  herds  when 
breeders  generally,  on  account  of  high  prices,  were  selling  their 
best  stock  for  slaughter  and  keeping  poor  cattle  in  reserve. 

Francis  Quartly  is  generally  conceded  to  have  accomplished 
for  the  Devon  what  the  Collings  did  for  the  Shorthorn.  He  lived 
at  Champson-in-Molland  near  South  Molton,  where  his  father  in 
1776  began  to  breed  Devons.  The  father  died  in  1793,  and 
Francis  at  once  began  active  work  as  a  breeder  on  his  own 
responsibility.  The  cattle  of  Devon  were  deteriorating  for  the 
reason  already  given.  He  recognized  this,  and  not  only  refused 
to  sell  but  sought  out  and  purchased  the  choicest  individuals 
possible,  thus  developing  the  best  herd  of  his  time.  From  his 

R  473 


4/4  CATTLE 

herd,  which  was  sold  on  his  retirement  in  1836,  has  descended 
the  most  distinguished  Devon  blood.  William  Quartly  also  had 
a  herd  until  1816,  when  he  sold  it  to  his  eldest  brother  Henry, 
who  continued  breeding  until  his  death  in  1840.  Neither  Francis 
nor  William  were  ever  married,  but  Henry  was,  and  left  two 
sons,  James  and  John,  who  succeeded  him.  They  also  became 
great  breeders,  as  did  John's  son  Henry,  later  on.  The  Quartly 
family  lived  in  North  Devon,  not  far  from  Somerset  County. 


FIG.  212.   Joker  (4792),  a  Devon  bull  of  the  beef  type  and  a  noted  prize-winner 

in  England.    Owned  by  Abraham  Trible,  Halsdon,  Holsworthy,  North  Devon. 

From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  late  L.  P.  Sisson 

John  Tanner  Davy  was  a  son  of  John  Davy,  a  Devon 
breeder,  who  was  born  about  1706  and  died  at  Rose  Ash,  South 
Molton,  North  Devon,  in  1790,  leaving  a  choice  herd  to  two 
sons,  John  T.  and  William.  John  produced  a  celebrated  herd 
and  won  many  prizes.  Numerous  famous  Devons  descend  from 
his  herd.  He  died  in  1852  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Colonel  Davy,  the  founder  of  the  Devon  herdbook.  This  son, 
who  died  in  1887,  aged  fifty-nine,  was  during  his  prime  the 
most  ( distinguished  student  and  promoter  of  Devons  in  England. 
He  not  only  founded  the  herdbook  but  contributed  much  to 
Devon  literature  and  publicity  respecting  the  merits  of  the  breed. 


THE  DEVON  475 

The  introduction  of  the  Devon  to  America  doubtless  dates  back 
to  colonial  times,  and  perhaps  these  were  the  first  real  pure- 
bred cattle  to  reach  our  shores.  The  port  of  Plymouth,  from 
which  the  early  colonists  and  the  Mayflower  sailed,  is  on  the- 
south  shore  of  Devon,  and  the  vessel  Charity,  which  sailed  in 
1623,  is  thought  to  have  had1  Devon  cattle  on  board.  Devons  were 
imported  in  1800  to  Massachusetts,  and  in  1805  General  Eaton 
took  some  to  Otsego  County,  New  York.  In  1817  the  first  pure- 
bred registered  Devons  brought  to  the  United  States  came  over  in 
the  brig  Margaretta  and  were  landed  at  Baltimore.  These  were 
a  present  from  Mr.  Coke  (later  Earl  of  Leicester)  of  Holkham, 
England,  to  Robert  Patterson  of  Baltimore,  and  consisted  of  six 
two-year-old  heifers  and  a  bull  named  Taurus.  These  became 
foundation  animals  in  the"  "  American  Devon  Record."  Other 
importations  were  later  made  by  the  Patterson  family,  and  most 
of  the  early  American  Devo:ns  are  descended  from  the  stock  of 
this  family.  From  1825  to  1850  and  later  many  Devons  we^e 
imported  into  the  Atlantic  coast  states  and  Canada. 

Characteristics  of  the  Devon.  The  Devon  is  not  easily  confounded 
with  other  breeds,  owing  to  its  individuality.  The  head  is  lean  and 
shapely  and,  with  the  female,  is  crowned  by  a  pair  of  slender 
horns  that  are  "  long,  spreading,  and  gracefully  turned  up,  of  a 
waxy  color,  tipped  with  a  darker  shade."  The  bull's  horns  grow 
at  right  angles  from  the  head  or  are  slightly  elevated,  are  stout 
and  waxy  at  the  base,  and  have  dark  tips.  The  neck  is  neat  in  its 
attachment  to  head  and  body  and  shows  considerable  refinement. 
The  body  of  the  Devon  is  compact  of  form  and  usually  carries  a 
well-sprung  and  deep  rib,  with  strong  heart  girth.  The  legs  are 
small  and  show  more  refinement  than  is  the  case  with  some  other 
breeds.  In  fact,  typical  Devons  have  often  been  referred  to  as 
deerlike  in  character,  owing  to  the  natural  grace  and  refinement 
of  the  breed.  The  color of  the  Devon  is  usually  a  bright  red,  from 
which  they  have  been  in  times  past  nicknamed  "Rubies."  The 
shade  varies  from  light  to  dark.  White  is  not  admissible  excepting 
about  the  udder  of  the  cow  or  in  front  of  the  scrotum  of  the 
male,  and  not  beyond  the  navel  with  either  or  outside  of  the 
flanks  or  elsewhere  on  the  body.  The  hair  about  the  eyes  and 
muzzle  should  be  of  a  creamy  tint  and  the  muzzle  flesh-colored. 


476 


CATTLE 


The  size  of  the  Devon  shows  considerable  variation.  Naturally 
Devons  are  of  the  smaller  class  as  seen  in  beef-cattle  classes  in 
America,  and  this  is  one  objection  that  has  been  raised  here 
against  the  breed,  together  with  the  fact  that  the  steers  will  not 


FIG.  213.  Fern  of  Halsden,  champion  Devon  cow  at  the  show  of  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society  of  England  in  1904.    This  shows  the  beefy  type  of  Devon.    From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William  Cooper  &  Nephews,  England 

fatten  as  rapidly  as  some  of  the  other  kinds.  Mature  cows, 
according  to  Sinclair,  weigh  from  1300  to  1500  pounds  and 
bulls  from  1500  to  2100. 

Two  types  of  Devons  essentially  exist.  Those  in  north  Devon 
have  always  been  of  the  smaller  form,  and  beef  production  has 
been  emphasized  with  them.  In  south  Devon,  where  the  breed 
is  known  also  as  the  South  Devon  or  South  Hams,  the  cattle 
average  larger,  are  lighter  colored,  tend  to  be  coarser,  and  are 
more  productive  of  milk,  due,  it  is  said,  to  the  blood  of  Guernsey 
cattle.  These  two  types  have  been  more  or  less  intermingled, 
but  the  best  breeders  of  to-day  advocate  adherence  to  type.  Pro- 
fessor Robert  Wallace,  in  his  work  on  the  "  Farm  Live  Stock  of 
Great  Britain,"  gives  a  third  (a  special  Somerset  type),  found  in 
north  Devon.  These  cattle  are  larger,  have  a  more  droopy  horn, 


THE  DEVON  477 

and  are  coarser  than  the  north  Devon  type,  due  to  the  better  soil 
and  climate  of  Somerset.  As  exhibited  in  America,  the  breed 
shows  at  a  distinct  disadvantage,  for  in  the  same  show  ring  the 
beefy  type  may  and  does  compete  with  the  dual-purpose  type. 
Western  breeders  appear  to  favor  the  north  Devon  style,  while 
Eastern  breeders  lay  emphasis  on  the  dairy  value  of  the  breed, 
as  does,  in  fact,  the  Devon  cattle  association. 

The  Devon  as  a  butcher's  beast  does  not  attain  the  high  weights 
of  the  common  beef  breeds  nor  does  it  fatten  as  rapidly  as  some, 
but  kills  out  extremely  well,  with  small  bone  and  moderate  offal, 
producing  the  best  of  beef,  fine  of  grain  and  of  superior  quality. 
Devons  in  the  past  have  made  a  good  record  at  the  British  fat-stock 
shows,  often  winning  high  honors.  This  applies  in  particular  to  the 
beef  type  of  north  Devon.  The  modern  breeders  of  that  section 
agree  that  to  increase  the  size  will  injure  the  quality  and  therefore 
refuse  to  do  so.  Sinclair  notes  one  English  Devon  breeder,  whose 
specialty  is  steer  breeding,  who  reckons  that  the  weight  of  a  fat 
Devon  steer  a  little  under  three  years  old  should  be  about  800 
pounds.  In  1891  the  first-prize  Devon  steer  at  the  Smithfield  Club 
Show,  London,  "  not  exceeding  two  years  old,"  was  five  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  days  old  and  had  a  live  weight  of  964  pounds. 

Devons  as  milk  producers  rank  very  well.  New  England  farmers 
formerly  kept  Devon  grades,  or  pure-breds,  from  which  they  often 
secured  fair  yields.  The  milk  is  rich  in  fat,  comparing  favorably 
with  that  of  the  Jersey.  The  breed  is  essentially  unknown  in 
competitive  dairy  tests  in  this  country.  In  the  "  American  Devon 
Record"  are  numerous  examples  showing  that  many  cows  of  the 
breed  are  ample  dairy  producers.  E.  C.  Bliss  states  that  his  full- 
grown  cows  yield  an  average  of  300  pounds  of  butter  a  year. 
J.  W.  Collins  writes  :  "  I  have  one  cow,  Lucky  3784,  that  has 
produced  2\  pounds  of  butter  per  day  for  weeks,  and  I  have 
frequently  had  others  that  have  made  2\  to  2\  pounds  per  day." 
Wallace  states  that  as  a  breed  for  milk  production  "it  has  been 
and  still  is  inferior.  The  cows  give  but  a  small  quantity  of  milk 
and  tend  to  go  dry  early."  Alvord,  who  knew  the  breed  well, 
states  that  some  families  bred  and  selected  for  dairy  purposes 
have  made  fair  milk  records,  single  animals  producing  40  and 
even  50  pounds  a  day. 


47* 


CATTLE 


The  Devon  in  crossing  or  grading  has  seen  much  service  in 

the  eastern  United  States.   Owing  to  its  long,  pure  inheritance  the 

breed  characteristics  are  usually  strongly  transmitted.  Devon  bulls 

on  grade  cows  will  produce  a  superior  class  of  beef  and  rich  milk. 

The  Devon  as  a  grazing  beast  has  always  ranked  high.    In  its 

native  home  many  steers  are  grass  fed  and  receive  but  little  grain. 

Devon  oxen  have  long  ranked  very  high.  In  New  England  and 

the  eastern  United  States,  when  oxen  were  more  extensively  used 

than  to-day,  the  Devon  was  a  favorite  sort.    Years  ago  in  New 

England  one  might 
have  seen  many  fine 
yokes  of  grade  Devon 
oxen  that  were  highly 
valued  for  intelligent 
and  active  draft  service 
on  the  hill  farms.  No 


cattle  are  more  light 
and  active  of  foot  for 
this  purpose. 

The  distribution  of 
Devons  is  almost  world- 
wide,    although     the 
breed  is  not  nearly  so 
FIG.  214.    Red  Rose  i3th,  second-prize  Devon  cow     pOpUlar    to-day    as     it 


has  been.    There  are 


at  the  New  York  State  Fair  in  1916.  This  Devon  is 
of  the  dairy  type.  Owned  by  W.  H.  Neal,  Meredith, 
New  Hampshire.  From  photograph  by  the  author  some  herds  in  England 

outside  of  the  Devon 

district,  mainly  in  the  south  section,  in  Ireland,  the  United  States, 
Canada,  New  South  Wales,  Tasmania,  New  Zealand,  Queensland, 
Mexico,  the  West  Indies,  and  South  Africa.  Devons  in  a  general 
way  have  been  distributed  all  over  the  United  States,  but  are  not 
in  large  numbers  in  any  state.  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  New  York, 
and  New  England  are  the  foremost  sections  in  Devon  breeding  in 
America.  The  breed  seems  quite  adaptable  either  to  the  rougher 
grazing  regions  or  to  the  more  fertile,  low-lying  countries. 

Organizations  to  promote  Devon  interests  exist  in  England  and 
America.  The  first  Devon  herdbook  was  published  by  Colonel 
Davy  in  1851,  who  subsequently  published  seven  more  volumes, 


THE  DEVON  479 

the  last  in  1881.  About  1880  the  Devon  Cattle  Breeders'  Society 
was  organized  in  England,  and  the  herdbook  publication  was 
transferred  to  it  about  1884  by  Messrs.  Hawkes  and  Risdon,  who 
had  purchased  the  rights  from  Colonel  Davy  in  1883.  Forty-one, 
volumes  of  the  Devon  herdbook  have  been  published  between 
1851  and  1918.  About  1890  the  South  Devon  Herdbook  Society 
was  organized,  publishing  its  first  volume  soon  after  in  1891,  since 
which  time  numerous  volumes  have  been  published  up  to  1918. 
In  the  United  States  an  ''American  Devon  Herdbook"  was  first 
published  in  1863,  four  other  volumes  following,  the  last  in  1879. 
The  "American  Devon  Record"  was  first  published  in  1881  by 
James  Buckingham  of  Zanesville,  Ohio.  Later  this  record  became 
the  official  register  of  the  American  Devon  Cattle  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation. This  organization  has  long  been  asleep,  and  the  last  vol- 
ume of  the  herdbook  that  the  author  can  locate  was  number  seven, 
published  in  1903. 

The  popularity  of  the  Devon  in  America  at  the  present  time  is 
very  low.  For  a  breed  with  such  an  old  and  creditable  history 
it  is  a  remarkable  thing  that  it  should  have  come  to  such  a  sub- 
ordinate place  among  well-known  breeds  in  America.  But  few 
Devons  are  seen  at  the  fairs  outside  of  New  England,  while  at 
the  large  live-stock  shows  and  state  fairs  of  the  Middle  West, 
classes  are  not  provided  for  them,  so  little  interest  is  shown  by 
the  few  persons  engaged  in  breeding  them.  At  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition  at  St.  Louis  in  1904  —  the  greatest  American 
cattle  show  in  history  up  to  that  time  —  the  Devon  exhibit  was 
represented  by  two  small  herds  and  hardly  produced  a  comment 
by  the  live-stock  press. 


PART  III.     SHEEP 
CHAPTER  XLIII 

THE  MERINO,  OR  FINE-WOOL  TYPE  OF  SHEEP 

The  Merino  involves  several  families,  and  all  sheep  of  this 
group  are  known  as  fine  wools,  producing  the  finest  of  fiber  used 
in  the  woolen  trade. 

The  general  conformation  of  the  Merino  as  commonly  seen  may 
be  compared  to  the  dairy  cow.  The  body  lacks  fullness  of  chest, 
breadth  of  back,  and  general  thickness  all  through,  the  leg  of 
mutton  is  not  thick  and  full,  and  the  neck  and  legs  tend  to  be 
long.  A  muscular  development  of  the  entire  body  prevails  rather 
than  smoothness  and  heavy  fleshing.  The  wool  is  somewhat  short 
of  staple,  is  thick  over  the  entire  body,  and  is  remarkably  fine 
in  quality.  An  oily  secretion,  commonly  known  as  yolk,1  found 
on  all  sheep,  exudes  from  glands  at  the  base  of  the  wool  fiber 
and  gradually  passes  up  the  wool  to  the  tip.  Some  sheep  possess 
much  more  yolk  than  others,  notably  Merinos  of  the  A  type  with 
heavy  folds.  This  yolk  accumulates  dust  and  dirt  on  the  exterior 
of  the  fleece,  forming  a  dark,  dirty  covering.  There  are  excep- 
tions, however,  with  the  smooth-bodied  Merinos,  some  showing 
but  little  external  yolk. 

Three  classes  or  types  of  Merino  sheep  are  recognized  to-day 
by  men  who  are  familiar  with  this  breed.  The  first  attempt  "at 
classification  occurred  early  in  the  nineties,  when  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  the  Merinos  were  placed  in 
three  classes,  —  namely,  A,  B,  and  C,  — based  on  the  amount  of  folds 
or  wrinkles  shown,  especially  on  the  neck,  body,  and  hind  quarters. 
Since  this  time  the  Merinos  at  the  Ohio  State  Fair,  which  is 

1  The  word  "  yolk  "  is  used  by  the  best  authorities  in  referring  to  the  natural  oil 
of  the  fleece,  but  the  words  "  grease  "  or  "  oil "  are  also  made  frequent  use  of 
among  American  breeders. 

481 


482 


SHEEP 


the  great  American  Merino  show,  have  been  given  these  three 
classes,  and  at  the  more  important  shows  of  the  breed  a  classi- 
fication of  this  sort  is  provided.  These  classes  may  be  briefly 
described  as  follows  : 

The  A  type  Merino  represents  the  distinctly  Spanish  or  Amer- 
ican sort,  with  heavy  folds  at  the  neck  and  over  the  body  and 
hind  quarters.  One  is  impressed  with  the  surplus  of  skin  over 


FIG.  215.    A  fine  example  of  an  A  type  Merino.    Note  the  extreme  number  of 

folds  which  cover  the  entire  body.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  National 

Stockman  and  Farmer 

the  entire  body,  but  more  especially  at  the  neck,  breast,  flanks, 
rump,  and  thighs.  The  wool  is  short,  approximately  an  inch  and 
a  half  long,  is  very  fine,  and  weighs  heavy  in  its  unwashed  con- 
dition, due  to  a  large  per  cent  of  yolk.  This  is  the  lightest- 
weighing  Merino,  one  hundred  pounds  being  a  fairly  good  weight 
for  the  females.  This  type  is  discussed  in  detail  in  Chapter  XLIV, 
on  the  American  Merino. 

The  B  type  Merino  is  characterized  by  a  smoother  body,  with 
fewer  folds,  especially  over  the  back  and  ribs,  although  those  on 


THE  MERINO,  OR  FINE-WOOL  TYPE  OF  SHEEP     483 

the  neck,  breast,  and  hind  quarters  should  be  pronounced,  though 
lighter  than  in  the  A  type.  The  fleece  also  is  somewhat  longer, 
easily  surpassing  an  inch  and  a  half,  and  contains  less  yolk  than 
A.  The  B  type  usually  has  somewhat  more  scale  and  carries 
more  natural  flesh  and  some  less  weight  of  fleece  than  A. 

The  C  type  Merino  has  a  smooth  body,  with  no  folds  unless 
to  a  slight  extent  at  the  neck  or  breast.  A  model  example  should 
be  free  of  all  folds.  The  Delaines  and  plain-bodied  Rambouillets 
represent  this  type.  These  have  a  fleece  with  less  yolk  and  weight 
than  B,  though  with  increased  length  of  staple.  The  C  type  also 
should  be  somewhat  larger  than  B  and  approach  nearer  to  true 
mutton  type,  while  the  fleece  retains  its  typical  fine-wool  char- 
acter. Individuals  of  this  type  have  been  exhibited  at  our  fairs 
that  in  mutton  form  compared  well  with  the  best  of  Southdowns 
or  Shropshires.  This  type  is  discussed  in  detail  in  Chapter  XLV, 
on  the  Delaine  Merino. 

The  breeding  of  the  three  types  of  Merinos  is  conducted  in 
some  of  the  best  American  flocks.  One  man  may  keep  sheep  of 
each  type  and  use  them  to  improve  or  maintain  his  flock  or  to 
satisfy  demands  of  different  customers.  Type  A  rams  offer  a 
medium  for  imparting  to  flocks  in  which  B  type  ewes  predominate 
a  denser,  heavier-weighing  fleece,  though  naturally  lowering  the 
mutton  value.  The  B  type  meets  with  a  special  demand  as  a 
medium  for  producing  more  scale  and  substance  in  the  A  type 
and  increasing  density  and  weight  of  fleece  in  the  C  type.  The 
demand  for  the  A  type  is  very  restricted  and  is  steadily  growing 
more  so,  but  the  B  type,  judiciously  bred,  meets  a  real  need  in 
the  Merino  world. 

The  line  of  demarkation  in  Merino  type  is  not  entirely  agreed 
to  among  breeders.  In  the  great  shows  of  the  different  types 
at  the  Ohio  State  Fair  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  sheep  of  two 
types  in  one  class  ;  as,  for  example,  A  and  B,  or  B  and  C.  In 
such  cases  the  judge,  as  a  rule,  ignores  the  sheep  that  is  off  type. 
Merino  lambs  often  show  a  strong  marking  of  folds,  so  that  they 
might  naturally  be  placed  in  one  class,  but  with  a  year  or  so  of 
growth  these  folds  are  outgrown  to  some  extent,  thereby  justifying 
reclassification  as  another  type.  In  recent  years  some  Merino 
breeders  who  have  been  careful  students  have  discussed  different 


484 


SHEEP 


types  of  fleece,  assuming  there  was  a  distinct  A,  B,  and  C  staple 
on  each  type.  Further,  it  has  been  assumed  that  A  type  Merinos 
sometimes  carry  B  type  fleeces,  or  that  one  will  find  on  a  B  type 
ram  a  C  type  fleece.  Consequently,  in  an  effort  to  draw  sharp 
lines  between  the  types,  some  breeders  emphasize  the  necessity 
of  uniformity  of  type  of  body,  folds,  and  fleece  in  each  class. 

The  more  general 
characteristics  of  the 
Merino  may  be  set 
forth  in  the  following 
discussion  of  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  ani- 
mal. The  head  of  the 
Merino  should  be  short, 
broad  at  the  muzzle, 
with  large  nostrils.  A 
nose  short  and  inclined 
to  be  wrinkled  and 
somewhat  thick,  and  of 
Roman  type  with  rams, 
is  preferred.  There 
should  also  be  ample 
width  between  large, 
clear,  mild  eyes,  with 
a  prominent  forehead. 
The  ears  should  be 
fine  and  short,  be  ac- 
tively carried,  and  have 
a  covering  of  silky  hair. 
The  horns,  which  occur  on  the  males,  as  a  rule  interfere  with  the 
natural  action  and  movement  of  ear.  The  horns  on  mature  rams 
are  large,  are  rather  angular  at  the  base,  and  have  a  spiral  turn 
backward,  then  downward,  around  forward,  and  up,  forming  a  more 
or  less  corkscrew  curve.  The  horn  when  fully  developed  usually 
shows  one  and  one-half  turn  ;  with  some  the  tip  of  horn  turns  up- 
ward, with  others  it  turns  down.  The  head  of  the  male,  as  a  whole, 
should  show  sex  character  in  a  strong  degree.  The  neck  of  the 
Merino  should  be  of  moderate  length,  neither  thin  nor  thick,  and 


FIG.  216.  The  B  type  Merino.  Note  the  prevalence 
of  folds  at  each  end,  but  with  comparative  free- 
dom from  those  on  the  body.  This  ewe,  owned  by 
G.  E.  Helser,  West  La  Fayette,  Ohio,  weighed  140 
pounds  and  sheared  a  fleece  weighing  25  pounds. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Helser 


THE  MERINO,  OR  FINE-WOOL  TYPE  OF  SHEEP     485 

heavy,  but  should  be  moderately  muscled  and  blended  smoothly 
to  head  and  shoulders.  The  neck  of  the  male  should  be  more 
heavily  muscled,  showing  distinct  masculinity,  with  some  indication 
of  throatiness,  or  folds,  according  to  type.  The  shoulders  should 
be  smooth  and  incline  well  into  the  back  and  not  be  too  promi- 
nent. A  prominence  of  shoulder  is  a  very  common  feature  with 
this  type.  The  withers  are  frequently  sharp  and  high,  although  a 
neat,  close,  nicely  rounded,  smooth  top  at  this  point  is  desirable, 
especially  with  the  ewes.  More  prominence  of  withers  is  desired 
with  rams,  and  some  of  the  greatest  sires  have  been  very  strong 
in  this  respect.  The  breast  and  chest  should  exhibit  considerable 
depth,  with  a  reasonable  thickness  in  proportion.  A  common 
feature  of  the  Merino  is  to  have  too  peaked  a  breast,  lacking  thick- 
ness at  the  chest.  The  crops  and  fore  flank,  which  show  material 
deficiency  in  many  cases,  should  be  reasonably  well  filled  out. 
1\&  front  legs  of  the  Merino  are  characteristically  crooked  at  the 
knees.  As  one  looks  at  them  from  in  front  the  knees  fairly  touch 
together,  while  the  toes  spread  out.  Sometimes  the  wool  on  the 
legs  causes  deception  in  this  respect,  but  as  a  rule  the  legs  are 
crooked  at  the  knees,  due  primarily  to  a  narrow  chest.  The  pasterns 
should  be  springy,  of  medium  length,  and  should  be  strong  and 
support  the  sheep  in  proper  form.  Merino  feet  naturally  incline 
to  grow  long  at  the  toes  and  thus  throw  the  weight  on  the  heel, 
giving  a  poor  and  weak  support.  No  breed  of  sheep  shows  poorer 
feet  than  the  Merino.  The  back  of  the  Merino  varies  according 
to  the  type.  Those  of  type  A  usually  are  narrower  and  flatter  of 
rib.  In  any  case  a  strongly  supported,  fairly  wide  back  with  level, 
wide  loin  is  essential.  The  back  is  very  commonly  depressed  or 
shows  a  marked  dip  or  break,  a  feature  to  which  breeders  do  not 
give  enough  attention.  The  body  should  have  a  rather  strongly 
rounded-out  form,  the  ribs  showing  a  fair  arch  and  considerable 
length,  thus  furnishing  ample  feeding  and  breeding  capacity.  A 
blocky,  short  body  is  not  so  typical  as  one  with  more  roundness 
and  of  moderate  length.  The  hind  flanks  should  show  ample  depth. 
The  hips  of  the  Merino  should  be  smooth,  and  not  too  prominent. 
The  mmp  of  the  Merino,  in  correct  form,  is  long,  level,  and 
wide,  but  a  common  defect  of  specimens  of  this  breed,  no  matter 
what  the  type,  is  a  peaked,  droopy  rump. 


486  SHEEP 

The  leg  of  mutton  varies  with  the  type.  The  nearer  one 
approaches  type  C  the  more  filled  out  in  all  its  parts  the  hind 
quarter  becomes.  Nevertheless,  even  in  type  A  the  thigh  should 
be  strong  and  reasonably  full,  though  not  so  thick  or  full  in 
twist  as  with  types  B  and  C.  Considering  that  type  C  empha- 
sizes mutton  value,  the  leg  of  mutton  here  should  be  strong  of 
development. 

The  hind  legs  should  be  muscular  and  straight,  whether  viewed 
from  either  rear  or  one  side,  the  shank  bones  fine  and  short, 
the  pasterns  strong  and  well  carried,  and  the  toes  neatly  placed. 
Instead  of  that  the  hind  legs  in  all  classes  of  Merinos  strongly 


FIG.  217.  A  group  of  C  type  Merinos  at  the  Ohio  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 
Note  the  absence  of  folds.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  Ohio  Station 

tend  to  crooked  or  sickle  hocks,  the  points  nearly  if  not  quite 
touching,  and  the  toes  turning  out.  Often  the  legs  below  the 
hocks  are  carried  too  much  under  the  body,  the  shanks  being  too 
slanting.  Owing  to  lack  of  attention  the  toes  may  grow  too  long, 
and  thus  the  foot  becomes  thrown  out  of  proper  placing  and  the 
entire  leg  is  affected.  Careful  trimming  of  the  toes  will  easily 
remedy  this.  Sheep  of  the  A  type  tend  to  have  bad  feet  and 
should  be  carefully  selected  and  mated,  with  the  view  of  avoiding 
this  trouble  as  much  as  possible. 

The  skin  of  the  Merino  should  be  firm  and  of  a  bright  pink 
color  and  free  of  all  scurfiness.  No  class  of  sheep,  as  a  rule, 
shows  such  excellent,  high-class  color  of  skin  as  generally  pre- 
,vails  with  this  breed.  The  smoothness  of  skin  varies,  that  of  A 
having  notable  folds  (as  has  been  explained  on  page  482), 


THE  MERINO,  OR  FINE-WOOL  TYPE  OF  SHEEP     487 

B  having  fewer,  and  C  hardly  any  at  all.  The  skin  of  type  A, 
according  to  some  Merino  authorities,  is  also  thicker,  mellower, 
and  more  porous  than  that  of  C,  which  is  thin  and  more  delicate 
than  the  other. 

The  fleshing  of  the  Merino  of  A  type  is  limited  in  degree, 
being  really  a  very  muscular  body  with  almost  no  fat.  A  smoother, 
better-fleshed  body  occurs  with  type  B,  while  C  in  ideal  form  is 
well  rounded  out,  smooth  in  all  the  parts,  neatly  covered  with 
flesh  without  superfluous  fat. 

The  wool  of  the  Merino,  as  has  been  stated,  represents  the  finest 
grade  produced.  This  varies  in  diameter  and  length,  according 
to  the  breed  or  breeding,  and  is  discussed  to  some  extent  under 
Merino  families  proper.  In  all  cases,  however,  the  fleece  should 
cover  the  body  densely,  and  the  fibers  be  very  fine,  uniform  in 
diameter,  and  carry  considerable  crimp.  The  yolk  should  be  suf- 
ficiently abundant  to  keep  the  fleece  in  superior  condition  at  all 
times,  indicating  a  healthy  condition  of  skin  and  body.  This  yolk 
exposed  to  the  sun  turns  darker  in  color  than  when  shaded  in  the 
fleece  and  so  adds  to  the  dirty  external  appearance.  A  white  yolk 
is  said  to  turn  darker  than  the  more  yellow  sort.  A  fleece  of  a 
light  creamy  yellow,  being  neither  white  nor  egg-yellow,  is  pre- 
ferred. A  very  heavy  exudation  of  yolk  is  objected  to  as  not  only 
causing  unnecessary  shrinkage  of  fleece  in  washing  but  also  as 
being  something  of  a  drain  on  the  animal's  vitality.  Present-day 
wool  buyers  discriminate  against  the  heavy-shrinking,  old-fashioned, 
fine-wool  fleeces.  To  some  extent  it  is  probable  that  the  amount 
of  yolk  may  be  affected  by  the  food.  Professor  J.  A.  Craig  states 
that  lambs  fed  grain  from  birth  invariably  sheared  heavier  fleeces 
than  those  that  had  grain  only  during  the  latter  three  months  of 
feeding.  The  wool  should  be  naturally  bright  and  lustrous,  with 
a  clean  white  color. 


CHAPTER  XLIV 

THE  AMERICAN  MERINO1 

The  Spanish  Merino  as  the  parent  of  the  American  Merino 
should  receive  a  brief  consideration  introductory  to  this  breed. 

The  native  home  of  the  Merino  is  in  Spain,  in  southern  Europe. 
The  country  is  quite  variable  in  character,  the  interior  consisting 
of  plains  as  well  as  long  ranges  of  mountains,  some  of  which  are 
many  thousand  feet  high.  There  are  numerous  rivers  and  deep 
valleys.  The  climate  is  generally  dry  and  mild  in  the  lowlands, 
and  oranges,  citrons,  olives,  and  grapes  are  commonly  produced ; 
while  on  the  plains  and  mountain  sides  are  extensive  pastures, 
where  in  times  past  large  flocks  have  grazed.  On  the  lower, 
richer  lands  the  sheep  are  larger  than  on  the  drier,  poorer  soils 
or  more  elevated  mountains. 

The  origin  of  Merino  sheep  is  merely  speculative.  In  1809 
Livingston  stated2  that  many  supposed  Merinos  were  originally 
introduced  from  the  coast  of  Barbary  in  Africa  by  Don  Pedro  IV 
of  Spain.  It  has  been  assumed  by  others  that  the  parent  stock 
existed  in  Spain  prior  to  the  Christian  Era,  and  that  this  was 
improved  by  the  introduction  of  Tarentine  sheep  from  Tarento, 
southern  Italy.  Lucius  Columella,  a  famous  Latin  writer  on  agri- 
culture, who  wrote  during  the  first  century,  is  said  to  have  intro- 
duced these  A.D.  41,  and  he  also  imported  African  rams.  The 
people  of  Carthage  and  Phoenicia  in  northern  Africa  brought 
fine-wooled  sheep  to  Spain,  as  did  probably  other  invaders  also. 
The  sheep  of  Spain  in  those  days  were  of  various  colors,  —  white, 
black,  red  or  tawny,  the  red  fiber  being  of  the  finest  quality. 

Sheep  husbandry  in  Spain  was  for  centuries  an  important  in- 
dustry. Historians  at  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  Era,  especially 

1  The  word  "  Merino  "  is  Spanish,  signifying  governor  of  a  small  province  and 
likewise  one  who  has  care  of  the  pastures  or  cattle  in  general.    He  receives  his 
appointment  from  the  king,  is  a  person  of  rank,  and  is  termed  "  Merino  Mayor." 

2  Robert  R.  Livingston,  Essay  on  Sheep.   Albany  (N.  Y.),  1809. 

488 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  489 

Columella,  directed  attention  to  the  superior  fleece  of  the  sheep 
of  Spain.  As  early  as  the  eighth  century,  when  the  Saracens 
took  possession  of  Spain,  they  established  many  mechanical  arts, 
among  which  was  the  woolen  industry,  and  the  Spanish  sheep 
furnished  the  fiber.  The  statement  has  been  made  that  in  Seville 
no  less  than  sixteen  thousand  looms  existed  in  the  thirteenth 
century.  Some  of  the  Spanish  cloths  were  highly  esteemed  for 
their  quality.  By  the  fifteenth  century,  however,  the  Moors  had 
been  largely  driven  from  Spain,  and  the  woolen  industry  fell 
into  decay  and  finally  became  unimportant.  Later  an  attempt  was 
made  to  revive  the  manufacture  of  fine  fabrics  from  wool,  but 
without  success.  Undoubtedly  these  early  sheep  were  much  infe- 
rior to  those  we  know  to-day  in  America,  but  without  question 
they  produced  finer  wool  than  did  other  European  sheep.  The 
modern  improvement  of  the  Merino  is  distinctly  an  American 
accomplishment.  The  Spanish  government  opposed  most  of  the 
first  exportation,  and  many  sheep  were  smuggled  from  the  country. 

Two  great  groups  of  Spanish  sheep  existed  in  times  past. 
One,  known  as  Estantes,  or  stationary,  consisted  of  flocks  of  the 
coarser-wooled  types,  and  these  remained  permanently  on  many 
of  the  hill  farms.  The  other  group,  termed  Trans kumantfs,  or 
migratory,  consisted  of  flocks  that  were  driven  during  the  spring 
season,  under  the  care  of  competent  shepherds,  across  country 
and  into  the  mountains  over  a  grazing  region,  to  be  returned 
in  the  fall  to  their  original  home.  The  Transhumantes  were 
divided  into  two  classes  —  the  Leonese  and  Sorian.  The  former, 
was  the  more  numerous  and  was  the  more  highly  esteemed. 
Most  of  the  sheep  brought  to  America  from  Spain  belonged  to 
the  Transhumantes  group. 

The  annual  Merino  drives  in  Spain  were  most  important  affairs. 
Youatt l  writes  as  follows  : 

The  Leonese  after  having  been  cantoned  during  the  winter  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Guadiana,  in  Estremadura,  begin  their  march  about  the  fifteenth 
of  April  in  divisions  of  two  or  three  thousand.  They  pass  the  Tagus  at  Almares, 
and  direct  their  course  towards  Trecasas,  Alfaro,  and  L'Epinar,  where  they 
are  shorn.  This  operation  having  been  performed,  they  recommence  their 

1  William  Youatt,  Sheep  :  Breeds,  Management,  and  Diseases,  p.  1 50.  London, 
1837.  See  also  M.  Tessier,  Instruction  sur  les  Betes  a  Laine.  Paris,  1810. 


490  SHEEP 

travels  towards  the  kingdom  of  Leon.  Some  halt  on  the  Sierra  (ridge  of  the 
mountains)  which  separates  Old  from  New  Castile,  but  others  pursue  their  route 
to  the  pastures  of  Cervera,  near  Aquilar  del  Campo.  Here  they  graze  until  the 
end  of  September,  when  they  commence  their  return  to  Estremadura.  The 
Sorian  sheep,  having  passed  the  winter  on  the  confines  of  Estremadura,  Anda- 
lusia, and  New  Castile,  begin  their  route  about  the  same  time.  They  pass  the 
Tagus  at  Talavera  and  approach  Madrid  ;  thence  they  proceed  to  Soria,  where 
a  portion  of  them  are  distributed  over  the  neighboring  mountains,  while  the 
others  cross  the  Ebro  in  order  to  proceed  to  Navarre  and  the  Pyrenees. 

It  is  said  that  these  periodical  journeys  can  be  traced  back  to 
the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century,  when  a  tribunal  was  estab- 
lished for  their  regulation.  The  number  of  these  migratory  sheep 
seventy-five  years  ago  was  placed  at  ten  millions,  and  they  were 
divided  into  flocks,  each  in  care  of  a  Mayoral,  or  chief  shepherd. 

The  important  provincial  flocks  of  Spain,  from  which  the  best 
Merino  blood  was  exported,  were  represented  on  about  a  half-dozen 
estates,  there  being  mainly,  according  to  Livingston,  about  thirty 
thousand  on  each  estate.  These  flocks  have  been  described  by 
various  early  writers,  notably  Consul  William  Jarvis,  who,  at  the 
opening  of  the  eighteenth  century,  was  familiar  with  the  flocks  in 
Spain,  he  being  United  States  consul  at  Lisbon,  Portugal,  from 
which  port  thousands  of  Merinos  were  shipped.  Jarvis  not  only 
exported  Merinos  to  America  but  later  became  one  of  our  great 
constructive  breeders.  The  information  concerning  the  early 
Spanish  flocks  is  more  or  less  obscure,  often  indefinite,  and  some- 
times conflicting.  The  following  is  such  evidence  as  can  be  pre- 
sented of  the  groups  or  classes  from  which  American  importations 
were  mainly  drawn.  In  Spain  these  classes  were  more  or  less 
interbred,  and  the  same  applies  to  American  flocks. 

Paular  Merinos.  This  family,  which  produced  the  largest  and 
best  fleeces,  was  originally  owned  by  the  Carthusian  friars  of  Paular, 
on  the  borders  of  Andalusia,  an  agricultural  class  of  monks  who 
paid  great  attention  to  horses  and  sheep.  This  was  probably  one 
of  the  handsomest  flocks  of  Spain,  having  close,  compact,  soft, 
and  silky  wool,  with  less  surface  yolk  than  most  types.  The 
Paulars  were  credited  with  enlargement  behind  the  ears,  with  con- 
siderable throatiness,  and  their  lambs  had  a  coarse,  hairy  appear- 
ance at  birth.  William  Jarvis  imported  many  Paular  sheep  in 
1 8 10  and  made  a  specialty  of  breeding  this  family. 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO 


491 


Aguirre  Merinos  had  more  wool  about  the  face  and  legs  than 
did  the  other  families.  The  wool  was  more  crimped  than  that  of  the 
Paulars  and  less  so  than  that  of  the  Negrettis,  and  was  thick  and 
soft.  The  Aguirres  had  short  legs,  round  and  broad  bodies,  and. 
much  loose  skin,  or  folds.  In  a  letter  written  to  Consul  Jarvis  in 
December,  1810,  the  writer  states  that  Cochran  Johnson  had  "sent 
about  three  thousand  Merinos,  principally  Aguirres,  to  New  York." 

Negretti  Merinos 
were  the  largest  and 
strongest  of  the  Trans- 
humantes  sheep  of 
Spain.  The  wool  was 
somewhat  shorter  and 
more  open  than  that 
of  the  Paular  and 
"  inclined  to  double." 
Many  Negrettis  were 
wooled  on  the  face  and 
on  the  legs  to  the  hoofs. 
All  the  loose-skinned 
sheep  had  heavy  dew- 
laps. The  rams  pos- 
sessed large  horns. 

Guadaloupe  Merinos 
were  heavier  of  bone 
than  the  Negrettis  and 

were  of  much  the  same  size,  but  were  not  so  handsome,  ac- 
cording to  Jarvis,  although  Lasteyrie  credits  them  with  the  most 
perfect  form  and  says  they  are  celebrated  also  for  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  their  wool.  These  sheep  had  numerous  folds,  and 
the  wool  was  thick  and  crimped  and  more  oily  than  the  Negrettis. 

Escurial  Merinos  were  about  as  tall  as  the  Paulars,  but  were 
slighter  of  frame.  Their  wool  was  crimped  and  not  so  thick  as 
that  of  the  Paular,  and  they  had  less  wool  on  the  legs  and  face. 
The  skins  of  the  Escurial  sheep  were  not  so  loose  as  were  those 
of  the  Negretti  and  Aguirre  families.  Another  family,  known  as 
the  Montarcos,  very  closely  resembled  the  Escurials,  but  were  not 
prime  favorites  for  importation  to  America. 


FIG.  218.  A  map  of  Spain,  showing  the  provinces 
in  which  Merino  breeding  was  important  at  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  chain 
marks  indicate  the  routes  that  were  followed  by  the 
Transhumantes  flocks 


492  SHEEP 

Infantado  Merinos  were  mainly  bred  by  the  Duke  of  Infantado. 
They  were  very  superior  sheep,  and  many  of  them  were  brought 
to  America,  notably  by  Charles  Henry  Hall.  The  horns  on  the 
rams  came  nearer  to  the  sides  of  the  head  than  did  those  on  the 
Paulars  and  Negrettis.  The  Infantados  of  Atwood  mated  with 
Paulars  resulted  in  a  great  improvement,  and  from  this  com- 
mingling of  blood  was  derived  the  Atwood  family  of  Merinos, 
long  celebrated  for  superiority  of  fleece. 

The  reduction  of  Merino  flocks  in  Spain  became  serious  in  1809 
with  the  invasion  of  that  country  by  the  French.  The  sheep  on 


FIG.  219.  Wooly  Nose  and  White  Nose,  two  American  Merino  rams  owned  by 
the  late  J.  J.  Deeds  of  Ohio.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American 

Sheep  Breeder 

four  estates  were  confiscated  by  the  Spanish  Council  of  State  because 
the  proprietors  had  joined  the  French,  with  the  result  that  the  flocks 
became  sadly  depleted.  The  Paulars,  which  had  numbered  30,000 
or  40,000,  were  reduced  to  7500  head ;  the  Negretti,  that  originally 
nearly  equaled  the  Paulars  in  numbers,  fell  to  6000 ;  the  Montarcos, 
that  at  one  time  numbered  30,000,  dropped  to  4000 ;  while  the 
Aguirres  decreased  from  30,000  to  3000  head.  Consul  Jarvis  es- 
timated that  100,000  of  the  finest  sheep  in  Spain  were  destroyed 
by  the  ravages  of  war,  leaving  only  slightly  over  20,000. 

The  exportation  of  Merinos  from  Spain  to  other  countries  was  of 
great  importance,  for  with  this  the  improvement  of  the  Merino  be- 
gan. The  Spaniards  themselves  not  only  did  not  attempt  system- 
atic improvement  but  eventually  allowed  the  breed  to  deteriorate 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  493 

and  essentially  disappear.  Sheep  were  exported  from  Spain  and  im- 
proved in  their  new  homes,  as  indicated  in  the  following  examples  : 

Swedish  Merinos.  It  is  believed  that  the  first  of  these  sheep 
exported  from  Spain  were  taken  by  Mr.  Alstroemer  to  Sweden  in 
1723,  yet  but  little  information  seems  available  on  this  point. 

Saxon  Merinos.  In  1765  the  Elector  of  Saxony  imported  from 
Spain  92  rams  and  128  ewes,  these  coming  from  the  flocks 
of  Count  Negrette.  Part  of  these  were  placed  on  a  farm  near 
Dresden  and  were  later  distributed  to  various  farms,  where  they 
were  carefully  bred  and  did  remarkably  well.  Youatt  states  that 
the  wool  of  the  Saxon  Merino  became  finer  and  more  serrated 
than  its  Spanish  progenitor  and  so  had  an  increased  value.  It  has 
been  claimed  that  the  Saxon  is  the  least  hardy  of  the  modern 
Merinos.  The  modern  type  of  Saxon  is  essentially  free  of  folds. 

German,  or  Silesian,  Merinos.  The  first  attempt  towards  the 
establishment  of  this  family  was  in  1768  by  Herr  Von  Vinke,  near 
Halle,  who  introduced  some  Saxon  Merinos.  Ten  years  later  he 
secured  pure  Merinos  from  Spain  and  crossed  them  on  the 
sheep  in  that  section  of  Germany.  In  1776  Frederick  the  Great 
became  interested  and  imported  300  pure  Merinos  from  Spain, 
but  through  disease  and  mismanagement  these  came  to  an 
unfortunate  end.  Later  Von  Vinke  purchased  1000  pure  Merinos 
under  government  commission,  agricultural  schools  were  established 
for  the  instruction  of  shepherds,  and  sheep  husbandry  was  espe- 
cially promoted.  This  resulted  in  establishing  the  German,  or 
Silesian,  family.  Mr.  J.  G.  Eisner  is  said  to  have  written1  a 
history  of  some  300  flocks  in  Silesia  which  were  based  on  the 
Negretti  and  Electoral  families.  Referring  to  these  sheep  in  the 
flock  of  the  Duke  of  Lichnowsky,  about  the  year  1800,  located 
near  Troppau,  Silesia,  he  says  that  his  type  was  Negretti-Infantado. 

The  wool  was  very  strong,  containing  a  large  quantity  of  grease  ;  the  body? 
barrel  shaped ;  the  head  well  covered  with  wool,  and  folds  around  the  neck ; 
wool  covering  the  limbs  well  down  toward  the  extremities ;  the  skin  of  a  deep 
rose  color  —  these  are  the  main  characteristics  of  the  type.  At  that  period 
sheep  were  esteemed  valuable  in  proportion  to  the  many  folds  they  had  on  the 
neck  aad  body,  and  that  became  the  prevailing  type  in  Moravia,  Austrian  and 
Prussian  Silesia,  and  adjoining  provinces. 

1  Sheep  Industry  of  the  United  States  (1892),  p.  383. 


494 


SHEEP 


French  Merinos,  or  Rambouillets,  were  imported  from  Spain  to 
France  in  1786  by  government  commission.  This  type  is  dis- 
cussed by  itself  in  Chapter  XLVI. 

English  Merinos.  About  1787,  during  the  reign  of  George  III, 
the  "  farmer  king,"  a  small  flock  of  mixed  Merinos  was  smuggled 
from  Spain  through  Portugal  and  taken  to  England.  These  were 
inferior,  so  in  1791,  at  the  request  of  the  king,  a  select  lot  of 
Negretti  sheep,  consisting  of  four  rams  and  thirty-six  ewes,  were 


FIG.  220.  A  Wanganella  ram  sold  in  the  annual  ram  sale  at  Sydney,  New  South 
Wales,  in  July,  1918,  for  $13,125.  This  represents  a  very  fashionable  line  of 
breeding  in  Australia.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

collected  by  one  of  the  Spanish  nobility  and  presented  to  the 
king.  These  arrived  in  England  in  good  shape,  but  did  poorly 
at  first.  Not  being  suited  to  the  moist  climate  and  rich  pastures, 
they  suffered  much  from  disease  and  especially  foot  rot.  They 
gradually  became  acclimated  and  thrived  fairly  well.  A  society 
was  organized  in  1811  to  promote  them,  but  the  small  size  of 
this  sheep  and  its  inferior  mutton  quality  caused  British  farmers 
gradually  to  give  them  up.  At  the  present  day  there  are  no 
Merino  flocks  in  England. 

The  Australian  Merino.    Late  in  the  eighteenth  century  a  few 
Merinos  had  been  taken  to  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  South  Africa, 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  495 

from  England.  Later,  in  1797,  these  were  taken  to  Sydney, 
New  South  Wales.  Since  that  period  Australia  has  become  the 
greatest  Merino-sheep  country  in  the  world.  There  these  sheep 
thrive  and  produce  a  very  superior  grade  of  wool. 

The  introduction  of  the  Merino  to  the  United  States  probably 
occurred  in  1793.  Mr.  William  Foster  of  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, smuggled  from  Spain  I  ram  and  2  ewes.  These  he  pre- 
sented to  a  friend,  who,  not  realizing  their  value,  used  them 
for  meat,  though  he  later  purchased  a  ram  for  $1000  at  auction. 
In  October,  1801,  Seth  Adams,  then  of  Dorchester,  Massachusetts, 
imported  a  pair  of  Spanish  Merinos  which  were  conveyed  through 
France  to  the  seaboard.  Later,  in  1807,  Adams  moved  to  Ohio, 
taking  the  first  Merino  sheep  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains. 
In  1 80 1  M.  Dupont  de  Nemours  had  4  ram  lambs  shipped  to 
America,  3  of  which  died  at  sea.  The  other,  Don  Carlos,  was  taken 
to  Dupont's  farm  along  the  Hudson  River  in  New  York,  where  for 
nearly  four  years  he  was  used  on  the  flocks  of  that  region.  Later 
he  was  taken  to  Wilmington,  Delaware,  and  the  influence  of  his 
blood  was  extensively  felt  in  New  York,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Virginia.  In  1 802  Colonel  David  Humphreys  imported 
from  Spain  21  rams  and  70  ewes  to  his  home  in  Derby,  Connecti- 
cut. In  an  interesting  communication  1  regarding  this  importation, 
made  to  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promoting  Agriculture, 
Colonel  Humphreys  on  August  25,  1802,  wrote  as  follows: 

Convinced  that  this  race  of  sheep,  of  which  I  believe  not  one  has  been  brought 
to  the  United  States  until  the  importation  by  myself,  might  be  introduced  with 
great  benefit  to  our  country,  I  contracted  with  a  person  of  the  most  respectable 
character,  to  deliver  to  me  at  Lisbon,  one  hundred,  composed  of  twenty-five  rams 
and  seventy-five  ewes,  from  one  to  two  years  old.  They  were  conducted,  with 
proper  passports,  across  the  country  of  Portugal  by  three  Spanish  shepherds, 
and  escorted  by  a  small  guard  of  Portuguese  soldiers.  On  the  i  oth  of  April  last 
they  were  embarked  in  the  Tagus,  on  board ^the  ship  Perseverance,  of  250  tons, 
Caleb  Coggeshall,  Master.  In  about  fifty  days  twenty-one  rams  and  seventy 
ewes  were  landed  at  Derby,  in  Connecticut ;  they  having  been  shifted  at  New 
York  on  board  of  a  sloop  destined  to  that  river.  Tlje  nine  which  died  were 
principally  killed  in  consequence  of  bruises  received  by  the  violent  rolling  of  the 
vessel  on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland. 

1  Bulletin  of  the  National  Association  of  Wool  Manufacturers  (September,  1905), 
p.  241. 


496 


SHEEP 


For  this  importation  Colonel  Humphreys  was  granted  a  gold 
medal.  These  Humphreys  Merinos  became  important  American 
foundation  stock,  to  which  a  number  of  families  directly  trace.  In 
the  spring  of  1802  Robert  Livingston,  minister  to  France,  sent 
4  head  of  Merinos  of  French  breeding  to  New  York.  In  1805 
Livingston  returned  to  America  and  began  breeding  pure  and 
grade  Merinos.  He  was  very  successful  in  his  breeding,  and  his 


FIG.  221.    An  American  Merino  ram  shown  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition  in 

1901  by  H.  D.  Jackson  of  Bridport,  Vermont.    This  ram  was  first-prize  yearling 

and  the  champion  ram  of  the  Class  A  type.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 


sheep  attracted  wide  attention  and  brought  high  prices.  He  had 
great  social  influence  and  was  a  famous  politician,  so  that  he  induced 
many  to  take  up  sheep  husbandry.  In  1809  he  wrote  an  "  Essay 
on  Sheep,"  which  was  ordered  printed  by  the  New  York  legisla- 
ture. Through  his  influence  the  legislature  also  passed  an  act  in 
1808  to  encourage  raising  and  breeding  Merinos.  In  1809-1810 
William  Jarvis  of  Vermont,  United  States  consul  at  Lisbon, 
Portugal,  shipped  at  different  times  a  total  of  about  4000  Spanish 
Merinos,  of  which  1500  came  to  New  York,  1000  to  Boston  and 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  497 

Newburyport,  and  the  remainder  mostly  to  Philadelphia,  Baltimore, 
Alexandria,  Richmond,  and  Norfolk.  "  Indeed,"  says  Mr.  Jarvis 
in  his  correspondence,  "  I  was  disposed  to  distribute  these  valuable 
animals  to  every  state  which  would  be  likely  to  profit  by  their 
acquisition."  All  of  these  were  sheep  of  superior  breeding.  They 
included  Paulars,  Aguirres,  Escurials,  Negrettis,  and  Montarcos. 
Jarvis  placed  400  head  on  his  farm  in  Vermont,  in  the  care  of 
Paular  shepherds,  and  he  writes:  "I  bred  the  respective  flocks, 
separately  till  1816  and  1817,  when  I  mixed  them  together, 
and  have  so  bred  my  Merinos  ever  since."  The  importations  of 
Humphreys  and  Jarvis  distributed  Spanish  Merinos  widely  over 
the  Northeastern  states,  and  from  these  our  American  Merinos 
received  their  important  early  start.  Each  of  these  men  bred 
most  successfully,  greatly  improving  their  flocks. 

A  mania  for  Merino  sheep  began  to  develop,  and  in  1810  both 
Livingston  and  Humphreys  sold  rams  at  $1000  each,  while  the 
latter  sold  2  ewes  and  2  rams  at  $1500  each.  Then  came  a 
great  craze  for  fine-wool  sheep,  and  it  is  stated  that  in  1810 
over  10,000  were  shipped  to  America,  —  Cochran  Johnston, 
Goold  Brothers,  and  Charles  O'Neil  importing  from  Lisbon,  and 
R.  W.  Meade  and  others  from  Cadiz.  It  is  estimated  that  from 
April  i,  1 8 10,  to  August  31,  1811,  there  were  brought  to  the 
United  States  19,651  Merino  sheep. 

The  early  foundation  improvers  of  the  Merino  in  America 
began  with  Adams  and  Humphreys,  but  during  the  middle  of 
the  century  a  few  men  rendered  great  service  in  the  improve- 
ment of  this  sheep.  Notable  among  these  were  four  Vermont 
breeders;  namely,  William  Jarvis  (1811-1859),  Weathersfield ; 
Charles  Rich  of  Shoreham  (who  began  to  breed  in  1823,  and 
whose  sons,  John  T.  and  Charles,  continued  the  flock,  while 
still  later  two  grandsons  —  J.  T.  and  Virtulan,  sons  of  John  T. 
—  maintained  the  family  prestige);  Tyler  Stickney  (1834-1882) 
of  Stickney;  and  Edwin  Hammond  (1844-1870)  of  Middlebury, 
than  whom  none  was  more  eminent  among  Merino  flockmasters. 
Stephen  Atwood,  who  established  a  flock  in  1813  at  Woodbury, 
Connecticut,  and  continued  the  work  until  1867,  produced  a 
famous  line  of  breeding ;  while  William  R.  Dickinson  of  Steuben- 
ville,  Ohio,  who  bred  from  1809  to  1830,  and  Bezaleel  Wells  of 


498 


SHEEP 


the  same  place  and  time  did  much  for  Merino  improvement  in 
the  then  new  West.  These  men  were  among  the  really  great 
pioneer  breeders  of  America ;  they  did  much  to  improve  the 
Merino,  notably  in  character  and  quantity  of  fleece,  and  from  their 
flocks  descends  the  best  blood  of  to-day. 

Characteristics  of  the  American  Merino.  This  Merino  is  simply 
an  improved  form  of  the  Spanish,  characterized  by  heavy  folds 
on  the  body,  excepting  over  the  back.  The  head  is  small,  being 


FIG.  222.    A  quartet  of  yearling  American  Merino  rams  bred  by  J.  D.  Irwin  of 
Ohio.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Irwin 

comparatively  broad  and  short,  the  rams  carrying  heavy,  spirally 
twisted  horns,  and  the  ewes  being  hornless.  The  lips  and  nostrils 
are  white,  and  fine,  silky  white  hairs  surround  the  muzzle  and  ex- 
tend part  way  up  the  nose.  The  ears  are  small  and  are  covered 
with  fine  white  hairs.  Reddish  or  tan-colored  hair  is  occasionally 
seen  on  the  ears  and  nose  of  the  Merino,  which  suggests  a  rever- 
sion to  the  same  color  of  earlier  days.  Some  Merino  breeders 
have  valued  this  color  variation,  while  others  have  endeavored  to 
breed  it  out.  The  neck  is  thin  and  tends  to  be  long  below  and 
short  above,  the  shoulders  are  very  sloping,  the  chest  narrow  but 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  499 

deep,  the  withers  thin,  the  back  moderately  narrow  and  often  not 
well  sustained,  the  rump  frequently  steep,  the  thighs  thin,  the 
legs  small  and  fine.  The  skin  is  of  the  most  attractive  bright- 
pink  color,  and  in  good  specimens  is  in  folds  along  the  bridge 
of  the  nose  and  neck,  about  the  breast,  shoulders,  lower  part  of 
the  sides,  and  about  the  rump  and  thigh.  There  are  usually  no 
folds  over  the  back  and  perhaps  upper  third  of  the  sides,  unless 
in  a  small  degree.  In  1892  an  eminent  breeder  is  thus  quoted 
by  Ezra  Carman1: 

The  prevailing  fashion  is  to  have  from  three  to  five  heavy  folds  on  the 
neck,  not  large  on  the  upper  side,  but  large  on  the  under  side ;  two  or  three 
short  folds  on  and  immediately  back  of  each  elbow  or  arm  ;  fine,  thick  wrinkles 
running  down  the  sides,  but  not  extending  over  the  back.  Wrinkles  across  the 
hips,  sometimes  from  the  tail  in  the  direction  of  the  stifle,  and  sometimes  at 
right  angles  with  them,  folds  also  around  the  tail  to  give  it  a  wide  appearance, 
and  also  folds  across  the  thigh,  with  a  deep  flank. 

The  fleece  covers  the  entire  body  and  legs  excepting  in  the 
armpits.  The  ears  are  covered  with  fine,  silky  hairs,  and  the  head 
should  be  well  wooled  over  excepting  the  lower  end  of  the  nose. 
The  eyes  are  often  hidden  by  the  fleece  covering  the  head.  The 
outside  of  the  fleece  is  of  a  dirty  black  color,  caused  by  the  accu- 
mulation of  dust  in  the  yolk  which  exudes  to  the  end  of  the  fiber, 
adding  greatly  to  the  unwashed  weight.  A  considerable  amount 
of  oil  is  desirable  in  the  fleece  and  especially  is  it  important  in 
the  rams.  A  dry  white  fleece  is  an  inferior  wool,  and  rams  with 
such  fleeces  are  not  usually  the  best  stock  getters.  This  yolk  may 
be  scoured  off  to  show  a  shrinkage  in  weight  of  65  to  75  per  cent. 
American  Merino  wool  is  the  finest  produced,  and  the  more  folds 
on  the  body  and  the  more  crimped  the  fiber,  the  finer  the  staple. 
The  one-year-old  fleece  of  a  mature  sheep  will  show  a  length  of 
about  one  and  one-half  to  two  inches.  The  temperament  of  the 
Merino  is  very  lively,  yet  not  necessarily  inconsistent  with  docility, 
and  no  breed  is  more  easily  handled  in  flocks. 

The  modern  type  of  Merino  in  Australia,  where  the  A  type 
has  had  great  popularity,  is  of  the  B  sort.  The  following  is 

1  Ezra  Carman,  H.  A.  Heath,  and  John  Minto,  Special  Report  on  the  History 
and  Present  Condition  of  the  Sheep  Industry  of  the  United  States.  Washington, 
1892. 


500  SHEEP 

abstracted  from  an  interesting  article  by  J.  S.  Dunnet,1  on 
"Australia's  Popular  Type  of  Merino,"  which  is  very  suggestive 
to  American  students  : 

Leading  flockmasters  are  agreed  that  the  ram  with  a  deep  neck,  connected 
right  from  the  jaw  to  the  brisket,  with  one  fairly  deep  cross-fold  about  halfway 
along  and  a  well-defined  wrinkle  at  his  breast,  running  up  well  in  front  of  each 
forearm,  thus  forming  a  collar,  is  the  best.  This  style  of  neck  is  easily  shorn. 
It  allows  a  growth  of  first-class  wool,  worth  more  per  pound  than  that  produced 
on  any  other  part  of  the  body.  Such  a  neck  should  be  long  and  deep  on  the 
underline,  from  brisket  to  jowl,  and  carried  on  a  broad,  strong,  but  short 
neck  on  top,  closing  up  the  wool  as  much  as  possible  from  the  horns  to  the 
withers.  Sheep  of  this  class  are  mostly  vigorous,  and  thrive  well  under  hard 
conditions,  especially  if  free  from  body-folds  and  wrinkles. 

What  is  the  argument  in  favor  of  neck-folds?  It  is  that  the  greater  the 
surface  area  of  the  skin  covered  with  wool  the  heavier  the  clip.  It  should  be 
closely  watched,  however,  that  the  folds  are  not  so  close  and  deep  as  to  cramp 
the  wool  and  obscure  the  light  and  air,  as  the  weakness  would  produce  in  the 
recesses  a  sweaty,  fuzzy  wool  of  a  low  type,  which  aims  a  blow  at  uniformity. 
A  defect  in  many  rams  is  that  unless  the  necessary  care  has  been  exercised 
in  breeding  there  is  a  tendency  to  hairiness  on  the  neck,  the  thigh,  and  the 
breech.  The  wool  on  the  neck-folds  is  generally  of  a  higher  grade  than  on 
the  thigh  or  ham-folds,  and  therefore  it  is  a  better  place  to  carry  the  extra 
wool.  It  is  also  claimed  that  ewes  from  such  heavily  thighed  rams  are  apt  to 
prove  bad  mothers,  for  their  milk  is  short. 

The  reason  why  the  corrugated,  wrinkly  sheep  was  discarded  was  that,  by 
cultivating  folds  anywhere  else  on  the  body,  excepting  on  the  neck  and  behind 
the  elbow,  the  breeders  found  they  were  sacrificing  too  much  evenness  of 
fleece  for  quality  and  losing  far  too  much  vigor.  The  best  authorities  are  now 
agreed  that  one  good  neck-fold  and  a  collar,  or  at  the  most  two  neck-folds  with 
perhaps  a  wrinkle  behind  the  elbow,  are  all  that  can  be  safely  allowed.  As  the 
tendency  of  the  standard  Merino  wool  is  to  become  stronger  from  the  neck 
back  to  the  breech  this  coarseness  becomes  greatly  accentuated  as  the  size  and 
closeness  of  these  folds  increase. 

For  these  reasons,  as  well  as  the  tendency  to  weak  constitution,  excessive 
folds  and  wrinkles  now  find  very  few  champions  in  Australia.  A  good  forearm 
and  a  good  thigh  are  generally  associated  with  deep,  heavy  necks,  but  in  no 
case  should  the  sheep  be  so  big  in  the  thigh  as  not  to  provide  space  for  the 
udder.  It  is  remarkable  that  some  sheep  outgrow  many  of  their  wrinkles, 
although  some  of  them  remain  with  them  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

The  size  of  the  American  Merino  naturally  varies.  Weights  of 
130  pounds  or  upward  for  the  rams  and  about  100  pounds  for 
the  ewes  are  acceptable  to  breeders.  The  finer  specimens  of  rams 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  January  18,  1911. 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO 


501 


often  weigh  I  50  pounds  or  more,  and  many  excellent  ewes  weigh 
less  than  100  pounds.  Among  the  great  rams  of  a  half  century 
ago  were  many  that  weighed  no  to  120  pounds.  The  weights 
of  some  of  the  early  noted  rams  are  as  follows:  Wooster*,  100 
pounds;  Old  Greasy*,  no;  Old  Wrinkley*,  130;  Gold  Drop*, 
140;  California*,  140;  Eureka,  150;  Sweepstakes*,  150;  Cen- 
tennial, 165  ;  Bismark,  170.  Those  given  a  star  (*)  were  used  in 


FIG.  223.  Prince  Charlie,  a  Merino  ram  bred  by  the  estate  of  the  late  F.  E.  Body, 
Bundemar,  Trangie,  New  South  Wales,  and  sold  in  June,  1918  for  $15,120,  the 
highest  price  on  record  paid  for  a  sheep.  This  is  the  present-day  popular  type  in 
Australia,  though  perhaps  close  to  the  C  type.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 
W.  T.  Ritch,  Australian  wool  expert 

the  flock  of  Edwin  Hammond.  Of  the  present-day  A  type  sheep 
but  few  rams  exceed  160  pounds  and  few  ewes  130  pounds,  and 
then  with  a  full-year  weight  of  fleece. 

The  American  Merino  as  a  wool  producer  is  famous.  No  class 
of  sheep  shears  so  strong,  fine,  and  heavy  a  fleece.  Many  mature 
females  shear  from  12  to  15  pounds,  and  rams  easily  attain  20 
pounds.  The  Vermont  Merino  Register  gives  thirty-six  rams, 
three  years  old  or  over,  whose  fleeces  averaged  3 1  pounds  i  ounce 
each,  one  weighing  37  pounds  8  ounces,  A  two-year-old  ram,  at 


502  SHEEP 

the  annual  shearing  of  the  Vermont  Sheep  Shearing  Association, 
sheared  44  pounds  3  ounces.  Records  are  given  by  the  Vermont 
Register  of  fifty-four  ewes,  two  years  old  and  over,  which  sheared 
1064  pounds  9  ounces  (an  average  of  19  pounds  11  ounces),  the 
heaviest  fleece  weighing  25  pounds.  In  1887  forty-six  ewes 
averaged  21  pounds  5  ounces.  Gold  Coin,  perhaps  the  greatest 
Merino  sire  in  recent  history,  bred  and  owned  by  S.  M.  Cleaver 
of  Ohio,  has  produced  three  fleeces  averaging  about  36  pounds 
each  for  one  year's  growth,  and  one  ewe  in  the  Cleaver  flock 
produced  a  fleece  weighing  27  pounds  4  ounces.  J.  D.  Irwin  of 
Ohio  is  credited  with  producing  a  fleece  which  weighed  50  pounds, 
which  is  the  heaviest  of  which  the  author  has  record. 

The  relationship  of  weight  of  Merino  fleece  to  body  is  regarded 
as  showing  the  true  wool-producing  capacity  of  the  sheep.  The 
thirty-six  rams  above  referred  to  sheared  25.2  per  cent  wool  to 
weight  of  carcass.  Quoting  from  Vermont  reports,  in  1812  the 
best  rams  produced  but  about  6  per  cent  wool  to  weight  of  body. 
In  1844  the  wool  had  increased  to  15  per  cent,  from  1844  to 
1865  to  21  per  cent,  and  from  then  to  1880  up  to  36  per  cent, 
showing  a  remarkable  improvement  in  wool  production.  In  1878 
Vermont  exhibited  seventy-eight  fleeces  at  the  Paris  Exposition, 
which  showed  22  per  cent  wool  to  live  weight,  thirty  of  the  best 
ones  showing  25.2  per  cent,  the  best  six  30.1,  and  one  up  to 
36.6  per  cent.  At  a  public  shearing  at  Middlebury,  Vermont,  in 
1882,  fifty-four  rams  and  ewes  averaged  23.3  per  cent  unwashed 
wool  to  live  weight. 

The  fineness  of  Merino  fiber  has  doubtless  improved  since  the 
introduction  of  this  sheep  to  America.  A  set  of  measurements 
of  twenty-four  sheep  given  by  Dr.  Cutting  showed  an  average 
diameter  of  fiber  for  rams  and  ewes  of  ^^9-9  inch,  the  rams  aver- 
aging y-Q^-g-  and  the  ewes  yg1^,  the  finest  ewe  fiber  being  y^-j- 
inch.  Professor  Hawkesworth  gives  interesting  diameter  measure- 
ments of  Australian  Merino  wools,1  of  which  the  following  are 
from  noted  breeding  animals  :  Bismark,  T-^fT  inch  ;  Royal  Simon, 
TtW  inck '  Young  Golden  Horn,  y^Tg-  inch ;  Jubilee  II,  -j^g- 
inch;  Magic  ("a  pure  Vermont")  y^y-g-  mcn5  Daisy  (a  champion 
Vermont  ewe,  bred  in  Australia,  "  showing  a  beautiful  crimpy 

1  Alfred  Hawkesworth,  Australian  Sheep  and  Wool,    Sydney,  1906. 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  503 

formation  throughout")  -j^1^  inch.  Dr.  William  McMurtrie,  who 
conducted  extensive  investigations  on  wool  for  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  gives  the  average  diameter  of  Merino 
wool  at  1I1g¥  inch  ;  the  Southdown,  ^l-g-  ;  the  Lincoln,  g-^ ;  and 
the  Cotswold,  g-i-g-  inch. 

The  crimp  and  elasticity  of  Merino  wool  is  of  the  first  class, 
and  the  crimp  is  especially  characteristic  of  this  fiber.  This  is 
shown  in  minute  waves  or  serrations  in  the  fiber.  Hawkes- 
worth  states  that  in  a  superior  Merino  wool  there  are  24  to  30 
crimps  to  the  inch  and  sometimes  more.  In  the  English  breeds 
the  Southdown,  which  is  the  finest,  contains  14  to  18  crimps 
to  the  inch  and  the  Lincoln  2  to  3.  The  crimp  is  an  index 
to  the  elasticity  of  the  fiber,  its  tensile  strength,  and  quality. 
Hawkesworth  says : 

The  Merino  wool  fiber  possesses  an  elasticity  of  quite  a  peculiar  kind  alto- 
gether, that  of  crimpling.  If  you  break  a  fiber  of  the  true  Merino  in  two  pieces, 
they  not  only  take  their  own  natural  form  which  they  possessed  before,  but  go 
far  beyond  that,  inasmuch  as  the  curves  formed  by  this  broken  fiber  shrink 
much  closer  than  they  were  before.  The  closer  the  crimps  of  a  marrowless 
fiber,  and  the  greater  the  elasticity  and  extensibility,  the  more  powerful  will  be 
its  crimpling  in  the  above-described  wool  fiber ;  science  has  not  accounted  for 
it  yet,  and  all  explanations  concerning  the  same  are  only  hypotheses.  The 
quality  of  the  Merino  wool  is  greatly  valued  by  the  clothing  manufacturers. 

The  mutton  qualities  of  the  American  Merino  are  inferior. 
These  sheep  are  muscular  in  type,  carry  but  little  fat,  and  when 
pure-bred  are  of  but  secondary  importance  as  mutton. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Merino  is  not  improved  for  wool  pro- 
duction, but  by  mating  with  middle-wool  blood  a  better  mutton 
sheep  is  produced,  though  shearing  less  wool  and  being  less 
hardy.  Sheep  of  the  Delaine  type  are  more  or  less  bred  to 
the  American  type,  thus  reducing  the  folds  but  not  seriously 
affecting  the  wool-producing  value.  In  Australia  for  many  years 
the  American  type  was  preferred  to  the  smooth-bodied  Merino, 
but  in  recent  years  the  reverse  is  the  case.  In  order,  however, 
to  maintain  high-shearing  qualities,  studs  of  American  Merinos 
must  be  maintained  to  thicken  up  the  fleece  of  the  smoother  sort 
and  keep  up  the  weight.  In  New  Zealand  the  Romney  Marsh 
and  Merino  are  crossed  extensively,  the  crossbred  withstanding, 


504  SHEEP 

says  Mr.  George  A.  Brown,  the  bleak  climate  of  southern 
New  Zealand  better  than  any  other  combination.  Mr.  Brown  says 
that  in  Australia  the  most  successful  flocks  of  crossbred  sheep 
he  has  seen  were  from  crossing  long-wool  rams  on  Merino  ewes. 
The  half-bred  ewes  are  culled  as  though  pure-bred,  and  those 
selected  for  breeding  are  drafted  into  two  lots, —  one  of  long  wool 
and  the  other  of  Merino  type.  Merino  rams  are  then  used  on 
long- wool  type  ewes,  and  long-wool  rams  on  Merino-type  ewes. 
Every  year  this  selection  is  followed  out,  and  a  very  even  type 


FIG.  224.   A  very  choice  American  Merino  ewe,  Albert  Peck  412,  showing  folds 

to  the  extreme.    Her  lamb  stands  in  front  of  her.    Owned  by  S.  M.  Cleaver, 

Delaware,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

of  sheep  obtained.  On  large  estates  famous  for  crossbreds,  studs 
of  Merino  and  long-wool  rams  are  kept  for  this  kind  of  mating, 
which  produces  a  class  of  sheep  in  favor  with  the  butcher  and 
the  wool  of  which  sells  well.  The  Corriedale  (see  Chapter  LXI), 
an  Australian  product,  which  since  1914  has  been  attracting 
some  interest  in  the  western  United  States,  is  the  ultimate  prod- 
uct of  a  crossing  process  based  on  Merino  ewes  and  Lincoln  or 
Leicester  rams.  The  French  have  developed  an  important  sort 
in  France,  known  as  the  Dishley  Merino,  the  result  of  using 
Leicester  rams  on  Merino  ewes.  This  line  of  breeding  in  France 
was  established  early  in  the  nineteenth  century. 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  505 

The  adaptability  of  the  American  Merino  is  great.  On  the 
rough  mountain  •  pastures  of  New  England  and  on  the  ranges  of 
the  Far  West  it  seems  equally  at  home,  though  a  better  fleece  is 
produced  in  the  northeast  than  in  the  southwest,  the  drier  cli- . 
mate  being  more  unfavorable.  On  the  richer  soils  of  the  Middle 
West  the  Merino  attains  more  size  than  in  the  Far  West.  The 
American  Merino  is  extremely  hardy  and  thrives  on  scanty  pasture 
and  in  cold  weather.  Grazing  in  large  flocks  on  the  plains,  it  is 
specially  adapted  to  the  care  of  the  shepherd.  Larger  flocks  of 
Merinos  may  be  kept  together  more  successfully  than  is  possible 
with  the  other  breeds.  Merinos  are  very  active  and  rustle  for 
themselves  under  unfavorable  conditions.  They  also  suffer  less 
from  animal  parasites  than  the  mutton  breeds. 

The  breeding  qualities  of  the  American  Merino  are  rather 
inferior.  The  lambs  of  the  heavy-fleeced  sort  are  often  weak 
when  dropped ;  the  ewes  are  not  very  prolific  and  are  not  supe- 
rior milkers.  In  1903  the  late  C.  S.  Chapman,  for  years  one  of 
Ohio's  best-known  breeders,  wrote  : 

For  many  years  previous  to  1880  my  father  and  I  were  breeders  of  the 
heavy-folded  Merinos,  having  ewes  shearing  1 8  to  20  pounds  each,  and  using 
rams  shearing  30  to  36  pounds  each,  from  the  flocks  of  the  best  breeders  in 
Vermont.  We  had  our  sheep  bred  so  strongly  to  the  production  of  wool  that 
we  could  not  raise  over  50  to  60  per  cent  of  the  lamb  crop.  They  (the  lambs) 
would  be  so  feeble  when  dropped  that  in  a  majority  of  cases  you  could  not  tell 
for  twenty-four  hours  whether  they  had  vitality  enough  to  live. 

The  Merinos,  however,  breed  far  longer  than  the  average  sheep 
and  raise  a  fair  percentage  of  lambs. 

The  early-maturing  qualities  of  the  American  Merino  are  of 
secondary  character,  the  lambs  developing  more  slowly  than  the 
mutton  breeds.  To  do  well  they  should  come  early  in  spring,  be 
given  comfortable  shelter  and  care,  and  be  fed  liberally  to  secure 
size  and  stamina.  Many  breeders  have  their  ewes  lamb  in  April 
and  May,  so  that  the  lambs  go  into  the  hot  weather  of  July  and 
August,  and  between  dry  pastures,  stomach  worms,  flies,  and  heat 
do  not  come  on  well  and  consequently  mature  very  slowly. 

Important  subtypes  or  families  of  the  Merino  exist  to-day. 
Among  these  are  the  Delaine  and  the  Rambouillet,  which  are 
discussed  separately  and  in  some  detail  in  special  chapters. 


5o6 


SHEEP 


There  are  also  several  other  families,  which  are  now  of  less 
importance  than  formerly,  notably  the  Atwood  and  Paular.  The 
former  was  established  by  Stephen  Atwood  and  later  was  espe- 
cially promoted  by  Edwin  Hammond.  It  was  a  type  having  many 
folds  and  was  very  popular  from  1845  to  1895.  The  Paular 
comes  from  Spanish  stock  imported  by  Andrew  Cocks  and  later 
improved  in  the  hands  of  Jehiel  Beedle,  Tyler  Stickney,  Erastus 

Robinson,  and  the 
Rich  family  of  Ver- 
mont. This  also  pos- 
sessed many  folds  and 
a  large  amount  of 
yolk  in  the  fleece. 
Both  the  Atwood  and 
Paular  families  are 
considered  important 
strains  of  the  Ameri- 
can Merino  stock. 
The  Saxon  Merino  at 
one  time  had  some 
popularity  in  America, 
especially  so  in  New 
York,  Pennsylvania, 
and  Ohio,  but  this 
family  has  now  com- 
paratively few  pure- 
bred representatives 
and  these  mainly  in 
Pennsylvania.  It  deteriorated  so  in  weight  of  fleece  and  con- 
stitution as  to  be  generally  discarded  for  a  more  robust  sort. 

Some  famous  Merino  rams  are  worthy  of  note  on  account  of 
their  influence  in  improving  the  breed.  Among  these  are  the 
following:  Bolivar,  born  in  1820,  died  in  1834,  owned  by  W.  R. 
Dickinson  and  others  in  Ohio;  Consul,  bred  about  1838  by 
William  Jarvis;  Stickney 's  Consul,  bred  by  Jarvis  in  1835; 
California,  bred  in  1858  by  Victor  Wright ;  Comet,  bred  in  1861 
by  W.  R.  Sanford  of  Vermont  and  later  taken  to  Ohio ;  Eureka, 
by  Comet,  and  Kilpatrick,  by  Comet,  both  bred  by  Sanford ; 


FIG.  225.    A  polled  Merino  ram  of  light  B  type. 

Polled  rams  are  not  common  and  are  not  in  great 

demand.    Bred  by  S.  M.  Cleaver,  Delaware,  Ohio. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO 


507 


Wooster,    bred    in    1849    by    Edwin    Hammond,    sired   Young 
Matchless  and  Old  Greasy;   Gold  Drop,  bred  in  1861  by  Edwin 
Hammond,  who  was  several  times  offered  $10,000  for  him  and 
who  valued  him  at  $25,000  ;  Stowell's  Sweepstakes,  bred  in  1860— . 
by  Edwin  Hammond ;  Golden  Fleece,  by  Stowell's  Sweepstakes, 
bred  in  1862,  said  to  have  earned  his  owner  $20,000;  General 
Fremont,  bred  in  1865  by  Tyler  Stickney ;    Bismark,  owned  by 
H.C.Burwell  of  Ver- 
mont, that  was  sweep- 
stakes Merino  in  1876 
at  the  Centennial  Ex- 
position ;  Banker,  bred 
in  1875  by  V.  Rich  of 
Vermont ;  Rarus,  bred 
in  '1874    by    George 
Hammond,  winner  in 
1880  of  first  prize  as 
a   sire   at    the    Inter- 
national Sheep  Show 
at  Philadelphia ;  Don 
Dudley,  bred  in  1891 
by  J.  P.  Ray  of  New 
York;   More  Quality, 
bred  in  1898  by  R.  D. 
Williamson  of   Ohio, 
premier   Merino    sire 

at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  in  1904  ;  and  Gold  Coin 
3013,  bred  by  S.  M.  Cleaver  of  Ohio,  distinguished  as  a  great 
show  individual  and  one  of  the  most  outstanding  sires  of  recent 
years,  his  sons  Gold  Coin  Jr.  and  Diamond  Dust  being  remark- 
able examples  of  the  A  type.  Gold  Coin  Jr.  in  1917,  in  a  public 
shearing  at  the  Ohio  State  University,  yielded  a  fourteen-and-one- 
half-months-old  fleece  weighing  47^  pounds. 

A  notable  American  Merino  show-ring  victory  worthy  of  record 
here  occurred  in  1863,  when  George  Campbell  of  Vermont  ex- 
hibited 12  Vermont-bred  Merinos  at  the  International  Exhibi- 
tion at  Hamburg,  Germany.  There  were  1771  sheep  entered  in 
competition,  913  being  Merinos  from  every  part  of  Europe, — 


FIG.  226.  Diamond  Dust,  sired  by  Gold  Coin  3013. 
This  Merino  ram  is  an  unusually  fine  example  of 
the  A  type.  He  is  held  by  his  breeder  and  owner, 
S.  M.  Cleaver  of  Delaware,  Ohio.  From  photograph 
by  the  author 


508  SHEEP 

France,  Italy,  Austria,  Russia,  and  Germany  being  represented. 
The  12  sheep  shown  by  Mr.  Campbell  were  the  only  ones  from 
the  United  States,  and  these  took  three  premiums,  two  firsts 
and  one  second,  one  first  being  for  length  of  staple  and  one  for 
weight  of  fleece.  These  prize  sheep  were  later  sold  to  Count 
Shen  Thors  of  Silesia  for  $5000.  This  was  a  great  testimonial  to 
the  superiority  of  American  Merinos. 

Remarkable  prices  for  Merino  sheep  have  been  paid  on  many 
occasions,  dating  back  over  a  century.  In  1808  James  Wadsworth 
paid  Colonel  Humphreys  $1000  for  a  ram,  and  in  March,  1810, 
the  latter  sold  2  rams  and  2  ewes  to  a  Kentucky  buyer  for  $6000. 
This  year  (1810)  there  was  a  Merino  mania  on,  and  many 
sheep  changed  hands  at  phenomenal  prices.  On  September  22, 
1810,  an  auction  of  215  Paular  Merinos  at  F.  B.  Winthrop's, 
Home's  Neck,  New  York,  brought  $57,000,  an  average  of  $265 
each.  Many  thousand  Merinos  were  imported  in  1810  and  1811 
and  were  largely  sold  at  auction,  bringing  abnormally  high  prices. 
Then  came  a  collapse,  and  Merinos  were  sold  for  a  song.  Again, 
in  the  early  sixties,  high  prices  prevailed,  and  many  sheep  sold 
at  thousands  of  dollars  each.  In  recent  years  the  American 
Merino  has  not  brought  prices  of  special  note  in  comparison  with 
those  of  early  days.  In  Australasia  the  highest  prices  paid  for 
sheep  of  any  kind  have  been  paid  for  rams  of  this  breed.  The 
following  prices  are  conversions  from  British  guineas  into 
American  dollars.  The  ram  President,  one  of  the  most  noted 
animals  in  Australian  flock  history,  sold  for  $8000,  and  several 
of  his  sons  sold  for  $5000  each.  The  following  rams  also  sold 
in  Australia  for  the  given  prices  :  Sir  Thomas,  $3400  ;  Sir  Thomas, 
2d,  $2020;  Golden  Horn,  $2800;  Golden  Horn  2d,  $3150; 
Golden  Tom,  $2500.  At  the  annual  stud-sheep  sales  at  Sydney 
in  July,  1910,  the  ram  Dandie  Dinmont  brought  $7812.  In  1915 
the  Bundemar  estate,  Trangie,  New  South  Wales,  sold  the 
two-year-old  ram  Lord  Charles  for  $10,000  to  go  to  South 
Australia.  This  ram  was  bred  in  the  famous  Wanganella  flock, 
from  which  many  great  stud  sheep  have  come.  It  is  said  that 
the  progeny  of  the  sire  of  Lord  Charles  have  already  brought 
$50,000.  Five  of  his  ewes  brought  $500  each.  As  a  culmination 
of  high  prices,  at  the  Sydney  ram  sales  in  July,  1918,  a  ram  bred 


THE  AMERICAN  MERINO  509 

by  Thomas  Millear  was  sold  to  Lord  Brothers,  Queensland,  for 
$12,600,  a  Wanganella  ram  brought  $13,125,  while  the  Bundemar 
ram  Prince  Charlie,  consigned  by  the  F.  E.  Body  estate  of 
New  South  Wales,  was  sold  for  $15,120  to  Maurice  Collins  e 
South  Australia,  the  highest  price  ever  paid  for  a  sheep  up  to 
this  time.  Such  figures  dwarf  into  insignificance  the  prices  paid 
for  even  the  better-class  show  sires  of  America. 

The  distribution  of  the  Merino  has  been  general  all  over  the 
civilized  world  where  sheep  husbandry  is  followed  at  all.  Australia, 
New  Zealand,  Germany,  and  the  United  States  are  the  leading 


FIG.  227.  American  Merino  ewes  on  blue-grass  pasture.   Owned  by  A.  T.  Gamber, 
Wakeman,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

countries  breeding  sheep  of  the  American  Merino  type.  These 
sheep  have  been  bred  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  but  are 
not  so  popular  as  they  were  half  a  century  ago,  now  that  mutton 
is  more  in  demand  and  wool  has  depreciated  in  value.  Further, 
sheep  of  the  American  type,  with  numerous  folds,  are  objected 
to  on  account  of  the  difficulty  in  shearing,  so  that  smooth-bodied 
Merinos  are  more  popular  than  the  American.  In  other  words,  it 
is  not  a  utility  sheep  in  the  estimation  of  the  present-day  shep- 
herd and  so  is  steadily  falling  off  in  its  clientage  and  importance 
of  distribution.  At  the  present  time  Ohio,  Vermont,  New  York, 
Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  Missouri  are  the  states  containing  the 
principal  flocks  of  this  class.  Many  Merinos  have  been  exported 
from  Vermont  and  Ohio  to  South  Africa,  Australia,  New  Zealand, 
Tasmania,  and  South  America. 


5  id  SHEEP 

The  promotion  of  Merino  sheep  in  times  past  has  been  vested 
in  various  organizations.  The  Vermont  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  organized  in  1879,  published  four  volumes  of  flock 
books  and  registered  over  300,000  sheep,  mainly  as  flocks.  The 
United  States  Merino  Sheep  Register  was  organized  in  Ohio  in 
1876  and  published  a  volume  of  its  flock  book  the  same  year. 
In  1882  the  Ohio  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association 
was  organized  at  Columbus  and  published  its  first  volume  in  1885. 
The  National  Record  of  the  American  Merino  Sheep  Register 
was  organized  in  1881  in  Wisconsin,  the  first  volume  of  the  flock 
book  being  published  in  1882.  The  New  York  Merino  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  1879  and  the  Michigan 
Merino  Association  in  1880.  In  other  states  associations  for  re- 
cording Merino  sheep  also  organized,  but  these  have  never  become 
very  active  factors  in  the  Merino  industry.  In  1904  about  nine- 
teen Merino  associations  of  different  kinds,  organized  to  register 
sheep,  were  said  to  be  in  existence.  Most  of  them  were  feeble 
affairs,  doing  little  or  no  business.  In  January,  1906,  a  confer- 
ence of  Merino  breeders,  representing  different  registry  associa- 
tions, was  held  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  the  purpose  of  consolidating 
into  one  strong  organization.  This  resulted  in  the  incorporation 
of  the  American  and  Delaine-Merino  Record  Association.  By 
official  action  the  Standard  Delaine,  the  International  Delaine, 
and  the  Improved  Spanish  Delaine  associations  merged  into  the 
new  organization.  In  1908,  at  a  conference  held  at  the  New  York 
State  Fair  between  representatives  of  the  Vermont  Merino  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  the  New  York  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  and  the  Ohio  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  it  was  agreed  to  merge  these,  and  in  January,  1909, 
at  Columbus,  Ohio,  these  three  consolidated  to  form  the  Vermont, 
New  York,  and  Ohio  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association.  This 
association  was  short-lived  and  in  1916  consolidated  with  the 
American  and  Delaine-Merino  Record  Association,  which  at  pres- 
ent is  the  strongest  Merino  organization  in  America.  Eleven 
volumes  of  the  flock  book  of  this  association  have  been  published 
up  to  1919  and  123,503  sheep  recorded. 


CHAPTER  XLV 

THE  DELAINE  MERINO 

The  word  "delaine"  is  derived  from  two  French  words,  de,  sig- 
nifying "of"  or  "from,"  and  laine,  meaning  "wool"  or  "woolen." 
The  word  in  the  woolen  trade  indicates  a  class  of  wool  used  to  make 
fine,  untwilled  worsted  dress  goods.  A  combing  process  takes 
place,  in  which  the  fibers  of  wool  are  drawn  parallel  with  each 
other  and  spun  at  full  length  in  the  yarn,  thus  securing  the  full 
strength  of  the  fiber  and  making  the  strongest  and  most  durable  of 
woolen  dress  goods.  This  was  due  to  an  invention  of  E.  R.  Mudge 
of  Boston.  Previous  to  this  time  only  coarse  wools  were  combed, 
fine  wools  being  carded,  a  process  inferior  to  combing. 

The  origin  of  the  Delaine  Merino  traces  back  to  the  Humphreys 
importation  of  1802  and  that  of  R.  W.  Meade,  about  1820.  From 
these  flocks  certain  selections  were  made  and  types  gradually 
evolved,  breeders  generally  keeping  in  mind  both  mutton  and  wool 
production.  These  types,  or  families,  existed  under  several  names. 
They  have  been  established  in  the  main  by  selection,  and  in  each 
case  a  type  of  sheep  has  been  sought  that  showed  some  distinctive 
mutton  character  and  was  free  of  folds.  C  type  Merinos  are  in 
fact  true  Delaines,  and  what  is  known  as  a  light  B  type  (that  is, 
one  with  very  slight  development  of  folds)  in  the  opinion  of  many 
would  no  doubt  be  regarded  as  a  Delaine.  There  are,  however, 
no  remarkable  differences  between  these  families  ;  in  fact,  they  are 
much  alike. 

The  Dickinson  Delaine  was  named  after  William  R.  Dickinson 
of  Steubenville,  Ohio,  who  was  an  extensive  breeder  and  improver 
of  Merinos.  About  1807  or  1808  Thomas  Rotch,  a  Quaker, 
moved  from  Connecticut  to  Stark  County,  Ohio,  bringing  with  him 
a  small  flock  of  sheep,  some  of  which  were  from  the  Humphreys 
importation.  In  1809  Mr.  Dickinson  became  the  owner  of  some 
of  these  imported  sheep  of  Mr.  Rotch,  which  he  kept  by  them- 
selves and  carefully  bred.  In  1820  Adam  Hildebrand  became 


512 


SHEEP 


superintendent  of  Mr.  Dickinson's  farm,  getting  acquainted  with 
the  sheep  thereon  and  the  breeding  operations.  In  his  flock  was 
a  smooth-bodied  ram  named  Bolivar  that  had  very  distinct  indi- 
vidual merit  and  was  a  great  prize  winner  at  the  shows.  In  1830 
the  Dickinson  flock  was  sold,  and  Hildebrand  secured  some  of 
the  best  sheep.  In  1823  James  McDowell  became  an  employee  of 
Mr.  Dickinson  and  later  went  into  the  service  of  Mr.  Hildebrand. 
A  part  of  his  remuneration  was  to  be  "a  selection  of  the  best 
two  ewe  lambs  bred  by  Mr.  Dickinson,  descended  from  the  select 
Humphreys  flock  and  sired  by  Bolivar."  These  lambs,  according 


FIG.  228.  A  group  of  Dickinson  Delaine  Merino  ewes  bred  by  the  late  H.  G. 
McDowell  and  very  typical  of  this  family.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  Mr.  McDowell 

to  Mr.  McDowell,  were  the  foundation  stock  of  the  Dickinson 
Merinos,  and  the  McDowell  family  of  Stark  County,  Ohio,  notably 
the  late  H.  G.  McDowell,  has  been  the  leading  improver  of  this 
family.  Dickinson  Merinos  are  still  being  bred  in  a  small  way 
in  eastern  Ohio,  but  the  family  has  never  been  popular. 

Characteristics  of  Dickinson  Delaines.  The  standard  of  excel- 
lence specifies  that  the  Dickinson  Delaine  shall  have  a  deep,  round, 
wide,  and  long  body,  showing  mutton  capacity,  carrying  heavy, 
thick  flesh,  the  top  and  under  lines  being  straight,  and  the  skin 
being  smooth,  pink,  and  free  of  folds.  The  head  may  have  small 
horns,  but  a  polled  head  is  preferred ;  the  nose  and  small  ears 
should  be  covered  with  silky  hair.  The  fleece  should  be  from 
three  to  five  inches  long,  of  XX  or  XXX  fine  Delaine  combing 


THE  DELAINE  MERINO  513 

grade,  and  should  cover  the  body  well.  The  ram's  fleece  of  one 
year's  growth  should  weigh  15  to  25  pounds  and  the  ewes  10  to 
1 5  pounds,  unwashed.  The  fleece  carries  but  a  moderate  amount 
of  yolk,  but  enough  for  good  quality.  The  size  of  the  Dickinson 
Delaine  is  of  the  large  Merino  type,  the  rams  reaching  200  pounds 
and  the  ewes  150.  Wonderful,  one  of  the  best-known  Dickinson 
rams,  bred  by  H.  G.  McDowell,  weighed  200  pounds  when  two 
years  old,  and  his  fleece  weighed  26  pounds.  The  breeders  claim 
superior  mutton  quality  for  this  family. 

The  Black-Top  Spanish  Merino.  The  foundation  of  this  family 
extends  back  to  the  1802  importation  of  Colonel  Humphreys. 
In  1821  William  Berry  of  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania, 
purchased  from  W.  R.  Dickinson  of  Ohio  a  few  ewes  and  a 
choice  ram  of  Spanish  breeding  that  traced  through  the  Rotch 
sheep  to  Humphreys'  importation.  These  sheep  Mr.  Berry  bred 
with  care  and  developed  a  large  flock.  He  bred  in  family  lines  at 
first,  and  then  crossed  the  families,  endeavoring  to  breed  a  large, 
heavy-shearing,  fine-wool  sheep  with  smooth  body  of  mutton 
value.  In  his  breeding  he  decided  that  those  sheep  with  the 
darkest  outer  covering  of  wool  or  most  oil  had  the  hardiest  con- 
stitutions and  most  vigor  and  were  less  affected  by  change  of 
climate  than  those  with  fleeces  of  lighter  color.  Hence  he  selected 
the  darker  sort  and  called  them  Black  Tops.  In  1847  his  flock 
numbered  about  500  head.  These  sheep  he  divided  equally  be- 
tween his  sons  Matthew  and  William.  The  former  maintained 
his  flock  in  pure  Black-Top  lines,  and  William  did  the  same  until 
1856,  when  he  introduced  Vermont  Merino  blood  with  such 
detrimental  results  that  he  eventually  disposed  of  his  flock.  The 
Black-Top  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  held  an 
annual  meeting  at  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  January  16,  1919, 
and  planned  for  the  publication  of  Volume  VII  of  the  flock  book. 

The  Improved  Black-Top  Spanish  Merino  is  a  family  that  has 
its  foundation  in  ten  ewes  purchased  in  1844  of  George  Craig- 
head  by  Robert  Johnston  of  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania. 
These  ewes  were  bred  to  Craighead  rams  until  1847,  after  which, 
until  1853,  rams  bred  by  Alexander  McConnell  were  used,  the 
latter  obtaining  his  foundation  stock  from  W.  R.  Dickinson. 
From  1853  to  1867  Mr.  Johnston  used  only  pure  Black-Top  rams 


5  H  SHEEP 

in  his  flock,  and  from  1867  to  1884  he  used  rams  bought  of 
Matthew  Berry.  In  1850  George  Black  of  Washington  County 
purchased  twenty-five  Black-Top  ewes  running  back  to  Dickinson 
stock,  and  by  use  of  Berry  and  Johnston  and  other  rams  estab- 
lished a  Black-Top  flock  that  is  foundation  stock  in  this  family. 
This  Improved  Black-Top  family  has  been  regarded  by  its  pro- 
moters as  more  carefully  selected  and  bred  and  of  higher 
standard  than  the  Black-Top  of  original  foundation. 

Characteristics  of  the  Black-Top  Spanish  Delaine.  It  is  difficult 
to  distinguish  this  from  the  other  Delaines,  of  which  it  is  in  fact 
a  family.  The  size  is  perhaps  a  trifle  larger  and  the  fleece  weighs 
somewhat  heavier.  The  Improved  Black-Top  standard  requires 
a  weight  for  mature  rams  of  at  least  180  pounds  and  130  for 
ewes.  Sheep  of  this  family  also  have  a  somewhat  darker  exterior 
to  the  fleece  and  are  not  quite  so  heavily  wooled  over  the  head 
as  other  Delaines.  The  fleece  should  be  from  three  to  four 
inches  long,  and  the  rams  should  shear  from  13  to  14  pounds 
and  the  ewes  from  7  to  12  pounds  of  "brook  washed"  wool. 
Emphasis  is  placed  on  the  mutton  character  of  this  family,  which 
has  long  been  bred  with  that  feature  preeminent.  Improved 
Black-Top  breeders  have  regarded  their  sheep  as  very  similar  to 
the  Southdown  in  size  and  form,  while  still  maintaining  the  fleece 
of  the  Merino. 

The  National  Delaine  Merino.  About  1820  R.  W.  Meade,  at 
one  time  minister  to  Spain,  imported  some  Merinos  to  the 
United  States,  which  were  placed  on  the  farm  of  Alexander 
Wilson  near  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  In  1821  or  thereabouts 
Alexander  Reed  of  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  bought 
these  Meade  sheep  and  some  other  Merinos  and  placed  them  on 
his  farm.  From  this  Meade  importation  the  Delaine  type  was 
first  developed,  tracing  back  to  Reed  stock ;  but  the  family  was 
mainly  established  through  the  careful  breeding  operation  of  John 
McNary,  W.  H.  McNary,  J.  S.  McNary,  Ebenezer  McClelland, 
George  Craighead,  George  Murray,  and  William  Brownlee.  In 
connection  with  the  development  of  this  family,  R.  H.  Russell 
of  Pennsylvania  and  C.  H.  Beall  of  West  Virginia  played  a*n 
important  part.  In  1862  a  ram  of  Spanish  and  Black-Top  blood, 
purchased  from  Beall,  was  used  in  the  flock  formerly  owned  by 


THE  DELAINE  MERINO 


515 


McClelland,  then  in  the  hands  of  his  sons.  In  1877  R.  H.  Russell, 
who  began  his  flock  in  1852  with  fifty  Black-Top  Merinos  from 
William  Davis,  with  C.  J.  McNary  purchased  a  Spanish  ram 
named  Victor,  bred  by  J.  M.  Miller,  which  was  used  in  their 
flocks.  Both  of  these  rams  were  very  prepotent  and  unusually 
fine  individuals.  The  descendants  of  these  two  rams  nicked  to 
great  advantage,  resulting  in  superior  Delaines  that  were  long 
known  as  Victor-Beall  Delaine  Merinos.  It  can  thus  be  seen 
that  this  Delaine  fam- 
ily was  developed  by  a 
combination  of  Black- 
Top  and  Spanish  blood 
or  a  combination  of 
smooth-bodied  with 
wrinkled  Merinos. 

Characteristics  of 
National,  Standard,  or 
Victor-Beall  Delaines. 
These  are  essentially 
like  the  Dickinson 
Delaine.  The  bodv  is 


FIG.  229.    Chapmans  1394,  a  fine  type  of  Delaine 
Merino  ram,  owned  by  the  Ohio  Agricultural  Ex- 
periment Station,  Wooster.     From   photograph  by 
the  author 


smooth,  excepting  for 

slight  folds  at  the  neck 

and    perhaps    at    the 

breast  in  the  form  of  an  apron.    The  rams  may  or  may  not  have 

horns.    According  to  S.  M.  Cleaver,  at  one  time  secretary  of  the 

Standard  Delaine  Association,  writing  in  1 890 : 

The  demand  of  the  times  calls  for  a  plain  body  growing  a  Delaine  staple. 
Long  experience  teaches  us  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  maintain  density  and 
weight  of  fleece  when  wrinkles  are  entirely  done  away  with ;  for  this  reason  it 
is  important  to  insist  on  the  blood  of  wrinkly  sheep  in  selecting  the  sires  while 
striving  to  keep  the  body  clear  of  wrinkles,  and  the  neck  nearly  so.  It  is  well 
to  pay  more  attention  to  a  good  broad  back  and  deep,  round  quarters,  ensuring 
a  type  easily  kept  in  order.  White  the  fleece  will  not  be  as  heavy  as  in  the 
wrinkly  type,  it  should  weigh  from  seven  to  nine  pounds,  and  sell  without  any 
reduction.  This  will  equal  an  oily  fleece  of  twelve  to  fourteen  pounds,  with  a 
third  taken  off  by  the  wool  buyer.  Plain  sheep,  as  a  rule,  are  better  milkers, 
more  careful  mothers,  have  better  feet,  and  are  more  easily  prepared  for  the 
butcher's  block. 


516  SHEEP 

Delaines  of  this  family  should  have  a  staple  three  inches  long 
for  twelve  months'  growth.  Rams  at  maturity  should  weigh  at 
least  150  pounds  and  ewes  not  less  than  100  pounds. 

The  maintenance  of  Delaine  or  C  type  in  these  families  is 
through  selection  or  by  introducing  new  blood,  in  which  as  a  rule 
the  ram  is  of  the  B  type.  For  example,  one  may  visit  the  flocks 
of  prominent  Merino  breeders  in  which  both  American  and 
Delaine  sheep  are  found.  The  former  are  mated  with  the  latter, 
according  to  circumstances,  in  order  to  regulate  type  and  wool 
production.  If  a  Delaine  ewe  of  excellent  mutton  type  has  too 
open/a^id  light  a  fleece  she  will  be  bred  to  an  American  ram  of 
B  tyoe  possessing  high  wool-producing  qualities,  with  the  expec- 
tation of  obtaining  a  Delaine  with  a  better  fleece.  More  folds 
may  exist  at  the  neck  and  breast,  but  not  enough  to  furnish  seri- 
ous objection  on  the  part  of  the  Delaine  breeder.  The  important 
thing  is  to  keep  up  the  size  and  mutton  form  without  reducing 
the  amount  and  character  of  the  wool  below  a  satisfactory  grade. 
This  calls  for  a  fleece  to  grade  XX  or  better  and  have  a  staple 
of  superior  length,  diameter,  strength,  and  crimp.  There  should 
also  be  plenty  of  free-flowing  oil,  essential  for  a  high-grade 
fleece.  From  a  recent  interesting  pamphlet  on  the  Merino,1  by 
S.  M.  Cleaver,  one  of  the  greatest  constructive  breeders  of  the 
Merino,  the  following  abstracts  are  made.  Breeders  of  the  C  type 
Merino  find  great  difficulty  in  uniting  a  satisfactory  mutton  form 
and  weight  of  fleece  in  the  absence  of  any  corrugations  in  the 
skin.  Folds  are  associated  with  density  and  weight  of  fleece.  No 
family  of  sheep  ever  attained  a  higher  quality  of  oil  among  the 
plain-breeding  than  did  the  Berry  breeders  of  Pennsylvania.  Very 
early  in  the  history  of  Merino  breeding  in  this  country  their  flocks 
attained  a  great  reputation  for  having  a  dark  surface.  There  were 
other  C  type  flocks  in  the  country  that  produced  a  longer  staple, 
but  not  a  higher-class  wool.  The  Wells  and  Dickinson  flocks  of 
Merinos  never  showed  the  high-class  dark  surface  that  the  Berry 
breeding  did,  although  as  a  rule  they  had  a  little  longer  staple 
—  and  possibly  a  little  more  density  of  fleece  —  with  somewhat 
better  covering.  Originally  they  were  as  one  flock  from  the  same 
importation.  After  the  flock  was  divided  each  part  was  bred  purely 

1  Merino  History  and  Merino  Breeding.    Delaware,  Ohio,  1918. 


THE  DELAINE  MERINO  517 

within  its  own  blood  lines  for  many  years..  During  the  nineties 
many  of  the  wrinkly  flocks  were  crossed  with  the  plain-bred  sheep 
to  bring  about  a  more  practical  wool-mutton  Merino ;  also,  many 
of  the  plainer  flocks  were  crossed  up  with  the  wrinkly  rams  to- 
give  a  greater  weight  of  fleece.  Satisfactory  results  were  attained 
in  each  case. 

The  mutton  value  of  the  Delaine  or  C  type  has  long  been 
emphasized  and  is  an  important  argument  advanced  by  breeders 
in  its  behalf.  The  wethers  mature  fairly  early  and  sell  at  a  com- 
paratively satisfactory  price,  being  in  demand  on  account  of  not 
carrying  too  much  fat.  They  will  not  dress  out  quite  so  well  as 
the  true  mutton  type,  but  show  a  fair  per  cent  of  carcass  to  offal. 
In  1882  McClelland  Brothers  of  Pennsylvania  sheared  100  three- 
year-old  wethers  that  averaged  1 1  pounds  washed  Delaine  wool, 
after  which  the  sheep  weighed  on  the  market  nol-  pounds  each. 
The  feeding  of  Delaine  wethers  has  been  made  a  specialty  by 
many  breeders  in  eastern  Ohio,  western  Pennsylvania,  and  West 
Virginia,  where  the  mutton  has  been  regarded  as  of  very  excel- 
lent quality.  The  Ohio  Experiment  Station  has  produced  a  very 
superior  class  of  Delaine  mutton  sheep  on  its  branch  station  at 
Carpenter,  using  large,  strong,  C  type  rams. 

The  breeding  quality  of  the  Delaine  is  much  superior  to  that 
of  the  A  type  Merino.  The  mothers  are  more  prolific,  yield  more 
milk,  and  make  better  nurses.  The  lambs  from  C  type  ewes  are 
larger  and  stronger  at  birth  and  require  less  attention  than  do 
those  of  the  A  type. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Delaine  is  valued  on  the  range.  Pure- 
bred rams  used  on  range  ewes  give  a  better  mutton  sheep  and 
are  more  suited  to  the  range  trade  than  where  American  Merino 
rams  are  used.  In  fact,  in  recent  years  the  Western-range  shep- 
herd has  objected  to  sheep  with  folds  and  has  put  a  premium 
on  a  Merino  of  the  light  B  or  the  C  type.  Many  Delaine  rams 
have  been  used  in  the  West,  and  the  fact  is,  a  large  percentage 
of  the  mutton  sheep  produced  west  of  the  Missouri  are  essen- 
tially Delaine  in  character.  At  the  Ohio  State  University  very 
superior  mutton  has  been  produced  in  using  pure-bred  South- 
down rams  on  ewes  of  Delaine  type,  the  cross  resulting  in  an 
improvement  in  the  mutton  form  and  a  fleece  of  superior 


5i8 


SHEEP 


quality  and  weight.  Delaine  ewes  mate  to  special  advantage  with 
mutton  rams  as  has  been  well  demonstrated  in  common  practice. 
The  Delaine  as  a  feeder  ranks  at  the  head  of  the  Merino 
group,  though  it  is  not  equal  to  the  mutton  breeds.  The  lambs 
at  twelve  months,  when  not  forced,  weigh  about  eighty  pounds. 


FIG.  230.   A  Delaine  Merino  ewe  of  superior  character,  exhibited  by  C.  H.  Bell  of 
Ohio.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  ATational  Stockman  and  Farmer 

* 

The  adaptability  of  the  Delaine  is  not  equal  to  that  of  the 
A  type,  for  it  lacks  the  rustling  quality  to  some  extent,  yet  'the 
difference  is  not  important.  Delaines  will  do  well  among  the  hills 
and  rougher  lands  and  will  thrive  where  mutton  breeds  would 
not  do  so  well.  They  came  into  their  own  among  the  uplands 
of  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  West  Virginia,  and  are  still  produced 
in  large  numbers  on  these  same  grassy  hillsides.  On  the  range 
lands  of  the  West  they  are  valued  for  their  adaptability  to  feed 
and  climate  as  well  as  for  their  flocking  habit,  which  makes  the 
care  of  them  comparatively  easy. 


THE  DELAINE  MERINO  519 

The  distribution  of  the  Delaine  is  widespread  in  the  United 
States.  Many  flocks  are  found  in  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  West  Vir- 
ginia, New  York,  Michigan,  and  Wisconsin.  The  fine-wool  type 
of  sheep  east  of  the  Mississippi,  however,  is  not  holding  its- 
own,  the  mutton  breeds  taking  its  'place.  The  Delaine,  however, 
being  essentially  a  mutton  as  well  as  wool  sheep,  is  bound  to 
have  many  adherents.  Sheep  of  this  type  are  also  bred  more  or 
less  in  Texas  and  the  Southwest,  and  in  the  northwestern  states 
of  Oregon,  Washington,  Montana,  and  Idaho. 

The  promotion  of  Delaine  Merino  sheep  began  in  an  official 
way  with  the  organization  of  the  Victor-Beall  Delaine  Merino 
Sheep  Breeders'  Association  in  Pennsylvania  in  1882.  In  1887 
this  name  was  changed  to  the  National  Delaine  Merino  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  which  was  still  in  existence  in  1918,  with 
headquarters  in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvanin.  In  1890  the 
Standard  Delaine  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association 
was'  organized  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  same  year  the  Improved 
Delaine  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  incorporated 
at  Columbus,  Ohio.  In  1882  the  Ohio  Spanish  Delaine  Merino 
Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized.  In  1883  the  Black- 
Top  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  organized  in 
Washington  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1885  the  Improved 
Black-Top  Merino  Association  organized  in  the  same  state.  In 
1884  the  Dickinson  Delaine  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association 
was  organized  in  Ohio.  Each  of  these  associations  published  a 
few  flock  books  and  registered  thousands  of  sheep.  The  result 
of  so  many  associations  for  registration  and  keeping  records  of 
Delaine  Merinos  caused  considerable  discussion  and  criticism 
for  the  lack  of  harmony  among  the  breeders.  In  January,  1906,  a 
conference  of  Delaine  Merino  breeders  met  at  Columbus,  Ohio, 
consisting  of  members  of  a  number  of  different  registry  associa- 
tions, on  which  occasion  it  was  agreed  that  consolidation  was 
desirable.  As  a  result  the  Improved  Delaine,  Standard  Delaine, 
and  International  Delaine  associations  consolidated  to  form  the 
American  Delaine-Merino  Record  Association.  The  object  of 
the  new  association  is  to  promote  the  purity  of  breeding,  register- 
ing, and  preserving  the  American  Merino  sheep  without  special 
emphasis  being  placed  upon  the  type  recorded. 


CHAPTER  XLVI 

THE  RAMBOUILLET 

The  native  home  of  the  Rambouillet  is  in  France,  in  the  north- 
ern part,  not  far  from  Paris.  The  country  is  gently  rolling,  the 
soil  is  generally  of  a  calcareous  nature,  and  the  climate  is  quite 
temperate,  being  warm  in  summer  and  not  severe  in  winter. 
Grasses,  wheat  and  oats,  and  a  variety  of  crops  grow  in  this  region. 

The  ancestry  of  the  Rambouillet  is  Spanish,  this  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  great  Merino  family.  The  people  of  Spain  in  early 
days- produced  more  wool  than  their  factories  could  consume,  so 
the  surplus  was  exported,  France  buying  heavily.  The  French 
government  anticipated  an  increase  of  factories  in  Spain  and  con- 
sequent restriction  on  exports  of  wool  from  that  country.  This 
led  the  French  to  try  to  improve  their  flocks  and  produce  enough 
fine  wool  at  home  to  meet  domestic  demands.  In  1783  Louis  XVI 
bought  a  large  estate  at  the  village  of  Rambouillet,  some  forty 
miles  west  of  Paris,  and  here  he  established  a  farm.  In  1786 
M.  Gilbert  was  sent  to  Spain  and  selected  a  flock  of  Spanish 
Merinos  representing  several  different  families  ;  he  landed  366  at 
Rambouillet,  3 1 8  being  ewes.  In  1 799  Gilbert  again  went  to  Spain, 
where,  after  much  difficulty,  another  importation  was  secured,  of 
which  237  reached  Rambouillet  in  May,  1801.  According  to 
Gilbert,  who  collected  these  sheep  and  died  in  Spain  while  doing 
the  work,  the  second  lot  was  not  the  equal  of  the  first. 

The  improvement  of  the  Rambouillet  in  the  hands  of  the  French 
government  dates  back  over  a  century  and  resulted  in  a  smooth- 
bodied  sheep  of  large  size.  Much  of  this  development  of  over  a 
hundred  years  has  undoubtedly  been  accomplished  by  selection. 
During  the  time  France  has  bred  these  sheep  many  careful  rec- 
ords have  been  made  of  weights  of  the  sheep  and  fleece,  of 
length  and  diameter  of  wool,  of  fecundity,  mutton  development, 
etc.  Probably  no  other  such  long-continued  records  regarding  a 
breed  are  extant.  The  results  of  the  work  were  a  gradual  increase 

520 


THE  RAMBOUILLET  521 

in  size,  in  weight  and  quality  of  fleece,  in  a  better  mutton  form, 
and  in  more  hardiness  than  had  their  Spanish  ancestors.  While 
the  claim  has  been  made  that  the  stock  at  Rambouillet  has  been 

kept  pure,  in  1 900  the  author  saw  rams  in  -the  government  flock 

which  were  heavy  with  folds,  of  marked  A  character,  and  dif- 
ferent from  the  type  the  French  advocated.  The  Rambouillet 
was  also  developed  by  private  parties  in  France  and  Germany. 
In  1800  M.  Victor  Gilbert  of  Wideville,  France,  started  a  flock 
from  one  ram  and  eight  ewes  bought  of  the  government,  and  this 


FIG.  231.    A  dignified  gateway  on  the  government  farm  at  Rambouillet,  France. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

flock  was  maintained  for  a  century  in  the  same  family  by  a  son 
and  a  grandson  named  Victor.  In  northern  Germany  the  breed 
was  later  introduced  and  was  much  developed,  notably  in  the  re- 
gion south  of  the  Baltic  Sea  and  north  and  northeast  of  Berlin. 
Baron  F.  von  Homeyer  of  Ranzin,  Pomerania,  in  1850  purchased 
some  sheep  of  the  flock  at  Rambouillet,  and  with  these  as  foun- 
dation stock  became  the  greatest  German  breeder  and  materially 
increased  the  size  and  improved  the  weight  and  quality  of  fleece. 
The  introduction  of  the  Rambouillet  to  the  United  States  first 
occurred  in  1840,  under  the  name  of  French  Merino,  by  which 
title  it  was  generally  known  until  about  1889.  The  first  importa- 
tion appears  to  have  been  made  in  1840  by  D.  C.  Collins  of 


522 


SHEEP 


Hartford,  Connecticut,  consisting  of  2  rams  and  20  ewes  from 
the  government  flock  of  France.  The  head  ram,  named  Grandee, 
sheared  14  pounds  and  was  regarded  as  a  very  fine  specimen. 
In  1846  this  flock  with  its  increase  was  sold  to  parties  in  Ver- 
mont. In  May,  1846,  John  A.  Taintor  of  Connecticut  imported 
2  rams  and  7  ewes  which  he  purchased  of  Victor  Gilbert.  Follow- 
ing this,  Taintor  made  several  other  importations.  In  1848  John 
D.  Patterson  of  Westfield,  New  York,  on  the  western  border  of 
that  state,  made  an  importation  including  many  superior  sheep, 


FIG.  232.   One  of  the  sheep  barns  on  the  government  farm  at  Rambouillet,  ¥  ranee. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

his  ewes  weighing  from  120  to  150  pounds  and  some  of  his 
rams  up  to  300  pounds.  In  1851  several  different  importations 
of  prominence  were  made.  F.  M.  Rotch  of  New  York  is  said 
to  have  made  an  importation  with  Taintor  of  Connecticut.  That 
same  year  S.  W.  Jewett  of  Middlebury,  Vermont,  imported  18 
rams  and  82  ewes  from  Victor  Gilbert,  and  George  Campbell 
of  Westminster,  Vermont,  also  made  an  importation.  In  1851 
a  company  of  Ohia  breeders  imported  about  50  head  selected 
from  private  flocks  in  France  by  A.  P.  Howard.  Some  of  the 
present  Ohio  flocks  trace  back  to  this  importation  as  well  as  to 
a  later  one  of  1881.  In  1851  the  late  R.  C.  Moulton  of  Wood- 
stock, Ohio,  established  a  flock  of  French  Merinos,  which  he 


THE  RAMBOUILLET 


523 


bred  continuously  for  over  half  a  century  and  which,  perhaps,  had 
a  longer  record  than  any  other  American  flock  of  the  breed. 
In  1855  A.  R.  Seymour  of  Fayette  County,  Ohio,  bought  2  rams 
and  25  ewes  of  Jewett.  Along  about  1855  a  Mr.  Downs- 
of  Calhoun  County,  Michigan,  bought  a  few  of  the  Patterson 
sheep.  The  claim  has  been  made  that  a  Mr.  Stanton  of  Michigan 
purchased  from  Mr.  Patterson,  from  which  stock  has  descended 


FIG.  233.    A  Rambouillet  ram,  second  in  class  at  the  Ohio  State  Fair,  1905.    Bred 

and  exhibited  by  Max  Chapman,  Marysville,  Ohio.    This  is  a  C  type  sheep. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

the  flocks  of  some  of  the  prominent  Michigan  breeders,  but  a  let- 
ter before  the  author,  written  by  Mr.  Patterson  in  1893,  does  not 
corroborate  this  claim.  Between  1856  and  1860  most  of  the  sheep 
owned  by  the  latter  gentleman  were  sold  to  parties  in  California, 
from  which  stock  the  French  Merino  sheep  of  the  Pacific  slope 
states  descend.  The  Blaco-Glide  flock  of  California  is  said  to 
trace  back  to  this  Patterson  blood.  What  are  now  known  as 
Franco-Merinos  trace  back  into  early  Michigan  flocks  of  years  ago. 
These  early  French  Merinos  were  not  the  success  anticipated,  not 


524  SHEEP 

being  hardy  nor  suited  to  American  conditions,  and  the  interest 
declined  along  in  the  sixties,  to  be  revived  about  thirty  years 
later.  Reference  has  been  made  to  the  Von  Homeyer  family  of 
Rambouillets  produced  in  Pomerania,  Germany.  In  1880  W.  G. 
Markham  of  New  York  State,  when  on  a  visit  to  wool-producing 
countries,  inspected  the  Von  Homeyer  flock  and  looked  on  it  with 
much  favor.  In  1882  he  received  a  gift  of  a  ram  and  2  ewes 
from  Von- Homeyer,  and  these  were  the  first  of  this  German 
breeding, to  be  brought  to  America.  In  1885  Markham  received 
7  rams  from  the  same  source,  2  of  which  were  shipped  to 
Michigan,  where  they  produced  material  improvement  in  the 
flocks  where  used.  In  1890  Thomas  Wyckoff  of  Orchard  Lake, 
Michigan,  purchased  a  pair  of  Rambouillets  from  Baron  von 
Homeyer,  these  being  the  first  brought  to  Michigan.  Again, 
in  1891,  Wyckoff  imported  7  rams  and  16  ewes  from  the 
Von  Homeyer  flock,  and  these  were  distributed  among  the  Ram- 
bouillet  men  of  Michigan.  In  1893  Mr.  Markham  supervised  an 
exhibit  of  Von  Homeyer  sheep  at  the  World's  Columbian  Expo- 
sition at  Chicago  which  attracted  widespread  attention  by  their  great 
size  and  superior  merit.  Many  large  importations  of  Rambouillets 
were  made  for  a  period  of  ten  years  or  more  following  the  Chicago 
show,  of  which  a  considerable  portion  came  from  Germany. 

Characteristics  of  the  Rambouillet.  This  variety  or  family  of 
Merino  does  not  differ  essentially  in  appearance  from  the  Delaine 
except  in  size  and  breeding.  The  head  is  large,  the  nose  is  covered 
with  white  silky  hair,  and  the  ear's  are  inclined  to  be  large  and  are 
covered  with  fine  white  hair  or  short  fine  wool.  The  rams  usually 
have  large  spirally  turned  horns,  but  there  are  also  polled  males, 
and  the  females  are  hornless.  The  general  form  of  the  Ram- 
bouillet shows  more  grossness  and  bone  than  the  Delaine.  Indi- 
viduals of  the  breed  range  from  a  distinctly  C  type,  essentially 
free  from  folds,  to  those  of  B  type,  with  well-marked  folds  about 
the  neck,  breast,  flanks,  and  hind  quarters.  •  For  this  reason  the 
Ohio  State  Fair  for  some  years  has  provided  separate  B  and  C 
classes  for  Rambouillet  sheep  through  all  the  age  classes  and  pens. 
These  classes  have  not  been  entirely  satisfactory,  for  the  reason 
that  some  exhibitors  persist  in  showing  sheep  in  one  type  class 
that  belong  in  the  other.  Rambouillet  breeders  do  not  seem 


THE  RAMBOUILLET  527. 

The  Rambouillet  as  a  mutton  producer  ranks  very  well,  though 
inferior  to  the  mutton  breeds.  It  will  mature  fairly  rapidly  and 
will  produce  a  class  of  mutton  which  will  sell  well,  though  it  is 
not  of  the  highest  quality.  This  is  the  only  class  of  Merinos^ 
offered  a  place  for  exhibition  at  the  International  Live-Stock 
Exposition,  a  testimonial  to  the  mutton  value  of  the  wethers. 
In  the  Iowa  experiments  on  fattening  wether  lambs,  in  the  one 
trial  reported,  the  Rambouillet  made  an  average  daily  gain  of 
.37  pound,  requiring  1029  pounds  dry  matter  for  100  pounds  gain. 


FIG.  236.    Nine  Rambouillet  ewes  in  the  flock  of  Illinois  University.    Notice  the 
uniformity  of  type.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  W.  C.  Coffey 

Jn  the  carcass  test  the  Rambouillet  dressed  out  49.57  per  cent, 
e  poorest  of  ten  breeds,  compared  with  55.26  for  the  South- 
'vn,  and  was  priced  at  $5  per  hundred  live  weight  compared 
A  $5-75  for  the  Southdown. 

on  the  Rambouillet  as  a  W001  producer  is  regarded  with  favor. 

,8,  on  the  farm  at  Rambouillet,  40  rams  yielded  an  average 
an  autn<  »  *»'  -  «     « 

:   10  pounds  4  ounces,  and  201   ewes  and  85  lambs  an 

Most  I  of  7  pounds.    The  years   1847,   1869,  and   1877  saw  a 

and  legs,  amprovemen^  m  weight  and  quality  of  fleece,  the  latter 

j   dult  rams  averaging  16  pounds  9.3  ounces  weight  of 

Extreme  ccw  521    ewes  °f   various  ages    io   pounds   3.1    ounces. 

venience.   It  f-ent  time  it  is  doubtful  if  the  average  ram  will  shear 

head  and  leg  c.nds  and  the  average  ewe  over   I  o  pounds,  but  this, 

is  not  apply  to  flocks  as  carefully  bred  as  that  at 


SHEEP 


Rambouillet.  O.  M.  Smithson  of  Illinois  states  that  he  has  field 
ewes  shearing  up  to  23  pounds  and  rams  up  to  28  to  30  pounds. 
The  two-year-old  ram  Majestic  71350,  bred  by  F.  S.  King 
of  Wyoming,  is  credited  with  producing  a  4O-pound  fleece  in 
one  year.  In  1916  the  Oklahoma  Agricultural  College  reported 
shearing  from  the  two-year-old  ram  Laramie  a  fleece  weighing 


FIG.  237.    Butterfield's  Model,  a  Rambouillet  ram  that  sold  in  the  1918  Salt  Lake 

City  ram  sale  for  $3000.    He  was  sold  by  the  Butterfield  Live-Stock  Company  of 

Idaho  to  Bullard  Brothers  of  California.    This  is  a  C  type  Rambouillet.    From 

photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 


pounds  with  an  average  length  of  staple  of  3^  inches. 
Professor  Coffey  states  l  that  a  twelve  months'  fleece  of  mature 
rams  should  weigh  from  15  to  25  pounds  and  ewes  from  10  to  18 
pounds,  but  these  latter  figures  very  naturally  apply  to  carefully 
bred  and  selected  flocks. 

Crossbred  or  grade  Rambouillet  sheep  are  best  known  on  the 
Western  range,  where  for  some  years  large  numbers  of  pure-bred 
rams  have  been  shipped  from  the  Middle  West  for  use  on  native 

1  Productive  Sheep  Husbandry,  1918. 


THE  RAMBOUILLET  529 

stock.  This  gives  a  larger,  better  mutton  type,  with  a  strong  con- 
stitution, and  at  the  same  time  increases  the  fleece  value.  Not 
only  this,  but  the  smooth-bodied  grade  is  more  in  favor  with 
the  shearer  on  the  range  than  the  smaller,  more  wrinkled  sort,-  - 
At  the  South  Dakota  Station  rams  of  six  breeds  were  crossed 
on  grade  Western  ewes.  Fifty-three  lambs  sired  by  a  Rambouillet 
ram  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .31  pound,  while  the  carcass 
dressed  out  54.2  per  cent,  the  best  of  the  six  lots. 

The  breeding  qualities  of  the  Rambouillet  rank  well.  For 
twelve  years  preceding  1881  Bernardin,  then  in  charge  of  the  gov- 
ernment flock  in  France,  reports  that  4005  ewes  were  reserved  for 
breeders,  of  which  83.1  per  cent  were  productive,  the  83.1  ewes 
dropping  92  lambs,  including  twins.  Professor  Coffey  rates  the 
ewes  as  fairly  prolific  and  credits  them  in  the  flock  with  125 
to  150  per  cent  lambs.  In  the  author's  experience  with  the 
Rambouillet,  covering  ten  years,  the  ewes  are  prolific  breeders, 
frequently  dropping  twins,  and  are  unusually  good  mothers, 
having  large  udders  and  producing  much  milk.  One  objection 
to  some  of  the  ewes  is  too  large  a  teat.  The  udders  average 
larger  than  with  any  other  breed  of  sheep.  Owing  to  their  natural 
vigor  the  ewes  breed  to  a  ripe  old  age. 

The  hardy  quality  of  the  Rambouillet  is  worthy  of  note. 
Formerly,  when  the  French  Merino  was  introduced,  many  found 
it  unsuited  to  American  conditions.  The  last  quarter  of  a  century, 
however,  has  shown  that  the  Rambouillet  has  excellent  wearing 
qualities,  certainly  surpassing  the  mutton  breeds.  In  winter  the 
writer  has  found  them  comparatively  free  from  catarrh,  while 
in  summer  on  the  same  pasture  with  sheep  badly  suffering  with 
stomach  worms  the  Rambouillet  showed  a  relatively  greater  re- 
sistance to  these  parasites. 

The  early  maturity  of  the  Rambouillet  from  the  standpoint 
of  Merino  development  is  very  exceptional.  The  lambs  commonly 
weigh  8  to  10  pounds  at  birth,  come  on  rapidly  with  good  care, 
and  compare  favorably  with  the  best  mutton  breeds.  In  an  edi- 
torial note  in  the  American  Sheep  Breeder  relative  to  Rambouillet 
lambs  sold  by  W.  S.  Hansen  at  the  Salt  Lake  sale  in  August, 
1918,  it  is  stated  that  March  lambs  in  August  weighed  115  to 
120  pounds,  remarkable  weights  for  such  young  lambs. 


530 


SHEEP 


Prices  of  interest  for  Rambouillet  sheep  date  back  for  over 
half  a  century.  In  1853  John  D.  Patterson  of  New  York  pur- 
chased a  ram  in  France  for  $600  from  the  flock  of  M.  Cugnot. 
He  also  paid  Victor  Gilbert  $400  each  for  2  rams.  In  the  late 
fifties,  when  Mr.  Patterson  sold  his  sheep  to  California  buyers, 
it  is  reported  that  he  received  $1500  each  for  3  rams,  $1000 


FIG.  238.  This  Rambouillet  ram  was  sold  by  J.  H.  Seely  to  C.  N.  Stillman  of 
Utah  in  the  1918  Salt  Lake  City  ram  sale  for  $6200,  the  high  price  for  a  sheep 
of  the  breed.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

for  i,  $800  apiece  for  2,  and  for  18  others  prices  ranging 
from  $300  to  $700.  Fourteen  ewes  also  brought  $4500,  or  an 
average  of  $321  per  head.  These  probably  represent  the  highest 
prices  brought  by  individuals  of  this  breed,  either  in  America  or 
Europe.  A.  L.  Bingham  of  Vermont,  between  1847  and  1853, 
paid  John  A.  Taintor  $37,500,  or  about  $232  a  head,  for  161 
French  Merinos.  Some  very  sensational  prices  have  prevailed 
in  recent  years,  more  especially  in  1917  and  1918  at  the  annual 
sheep  sales  in  August  at  Salt  Lake  City.  In  1917  the  ram 


THE  RAMBOUILLET 


531 


Big  Chief,  by  Wyoming  Boy,  consigned  by  F.  S.  King  Brothers 
Company  of  Wyoming,  sold  for  $1300  to  Hobbs  and  Gillett  of 
Idaho.  John  H.  Seely  sold  to  Dell  Pratt  a  ram  for  $1325.  A 
ram  consigned  by  Illinois  University  brought  $675.  In  all; 
1 68  Rambouillet  stud  rams  brought  $39,985,  an  average  of  $238, 
and  362  ewes  brought  an  average  of  $46.29.  At  the  1918  sale 


FIG.  239.   The  shepherd  and  his  flock  at  Rambouillet,  France.    From  photograph 

by  the  author 

a  two-year-old  ram  was  sold  by  John  H.  Seely  to  C.  N.  Stillman 
of  Utah  for  $6200,  the  top  price  for  the  breed.  The  Butterfield 
Sheep  Company  sold  the  ram  Butterfield's  Model  to  Bullard 
Brothers  of  California  for  $3000,  and  other  rams  sold  for. $1500, 
$1200,  $1100,  and  $1000  respectively.  Bullard  Brothers  sold  a 
pen  of  24  yearling  rams  for  $300  a  head.  Seely  sold  to  Hobbs 
and  Gillett  3  ewes  for  $1375,  and  King  Brothers  sold  10  yearling 
ewes  for  $150  each.  Illinois  University  consigned  5  rams  that 
averaged  $425  a  head.  At  the  1919  ram  sale  at  Salt  Lake  City, 
Illinois  University  sold  to  the  Butterfield  Live-Stock  Company 
of  Idaho  a  ram  for  $1600,  the  top  price  of  the  sale.  One  other 
ram  was  sold  by  F.  S.  King  Brothers  Company  for  $1500, 


532  SHEEP 

another  by  Bullard  Brothers  for  $1450,  and  many  others  brought 
prices  ranging  from  $200  to  $400.  These  high  prices  were  paid  by 
Western  ranchmen,  who  had  full  faith  in  the  future  of  the  breed. 

The  distribution  of  the  Rambouillet  is  very  widely  spread.  It 
has  been  extensively  bred  in  France,  Germany,  Russia,  and  other 
countries  of  continental  Europe  and  exported  heavily  to  Australia, 
Argentina,  and  the  United  States.  In  South  America  there  are 
large  flocks  of  choice  breeding.  In  the  United  States  the 
Rambouillet  is  extensively  distributed  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  but  it  is  found  in  pure-bred  flocks  to  a  notable  degree  in 
Ohio,  Michigan,  Oregon,  Washington,  California,  Wyoming,  and 
Utah,  while  excellent  flocks  occur  in  other  states. 

The  promotion  of  Rambouillet  sheep  in  an  official  way  is  through 
the  American  Rambouillet  Sheep  Breeders'  Association,  which 
was  organized  in  1899  at  Pontiac,  Michigan,  but  which  for  many 
years  has  had  its  headquarters  in  Ohio.  Volume  I  of  the  flock 
book  was  published  in  1891,  since  which  time,  up  to  1919, 
twenty  volumes  have  been  published,  registering  27,747  sheep. 
In  1901  the  Von  Homeyer  Association  of  Rambouillet  Sheep 
was  organized  in  Michigan,  registering  only  sheep  of  breeding 
that  traced  to  the  Von  Homeyer  flock.  This  association,  now 
defunct,  issued  one  small  flock  book.  There  was  also  a  Franco- 
American  Merino  Association,  organized  in  1900,  in  which  blood 
lines  combine  the  Rambouillet  and  American  Merino.  There  is 
an  Ohio  Rambouillet  Sheep  Breeders'  Association,  organized  to 
promote  the  breed,  having  in  1919  a  membership  of  about  a 
hundred. 


CHAPTER  XLVII 

THE  MUTTON  TYPE  OF  SHEEP 

The  mutton  breeds  of  sheep  comprise  two  groups,  known  as  the 
middle  or  medium  wool  and  the  long  wool.  While  the  breeds 
within  these  groups  materially  differ  in  character,  what  is  known 
as  the  mutton  type  or  form  is  essentially  the  same  with  each  of 
these  groups,  irrespective  of  size  of  body  or  kind  of  fleece. 

The  general  mutton  conformation  embodies  the  feature  of  the 
best  beef  type,  involving  the  compact,  blocky  form,  the  short  head 
and  neck,  broad,  level  back,  deep  body,  indicating  large  digestive 
capacity,  full,  heavy  leg  of  mutton,  and  short  legs. 

The  head  is  short,  the  mouth  of  ample  size,  the  nostrils  large, 
the  nose  short  and  strong  and  often  Roman  with  males,  the  eyes 
bright  and  prominent,  the  forehead  broad,  the  poll  neat,  and  the 
ears  refined,  short,  and  actively  carried,  indicating  quality.  Horns 
do  not  as  a  rule  prevail  in  this  type  and  are  not  a  necessary 
consideration. 

The  neck  should  be  full  and  smoothly  muscled,  of  fair  depth, 
level  and  short  on  top,  and  should  blend  in  neatly  at  head  and 
merge  nicely  at  the  shoulder  and  neck  vein. 

The  shoulder  is  valuable  for  mutton  and  should  be  neatly 
placed,  with  the  blades  not  prominent  at  the  top,  this  entire  .part 
being  smoothly  covered  with  flesh. 

The  breast  on  a  superior  mutton  sheep  is  wide  in  front,  and 
the  brisket  prominent  and  well  rounded  out,  showing  a  vigorous 
constitution  and  strong  fleshing  qualities.  The  whole  front  of  the 
bosom  should  show  a  pronounced  breadth  as  well  as  fullness  in 
all  the  lines,  blending  neatly  with  the  shoulders. 

The  chest  is  most  important,  containing  as  it  does  the  vital 
organs,  so  that  both  thickness  and  depth  are  essential  and  in 
keeping  with  the  properly  developed  breast.  The  withers  on  top 
should  be  wide  and  smoothly  covered,  and  then,  further  down,  well- 
rounded  crops  and  full  front  flanks  are  to  be  looked  for.  Sunken 

533 


534 


SHEEP 


crops  and  high  front  flanks  indicate  lack  of  constitution  and  poor 
feeding  character.    Fullness  of  flank  is  of  vital  importance. 

The  front  legs  should  be  wide  apart  and  heavily  muscled  of  arm, 
the  shank  bones  fine  and  short,  the  joints  and  pasterns  strong. 
The  entire  leg  viewed  from  front  or  side  must  show  good  form 


Fro.  240.  A  fine  type  of  mutton  sheep,  the  grand-champion  wether,  a  Shropshire, 

at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition,  1917.   Exhibited  by  Jess  Andrew,  West 

Point,  Indiana.    From  photograph  by  Hildebrand,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Andrew 

and  strength,  the  knees  being  well  apart  and  the  feet  properly 
pointing  straight  ahead.  Weak  pasterns  frequently  occur  with 
mutton  sheep,  a  feature  to  be  avoided  in  selecting  breeding  rams. 

The  back  and  loin  contain  the  valuable  cuts,  so  that  width  and 
thickness  are  highly  essential  at  all  times.  Breadth  and  levelness 
of  back  are  emphasized,  with  some  closeness  of  coupling. 

The  body,  to  have  ample  capacity,  requires  a  strong  arch  and 
depth  of  rib,  thus  giving  depth  and  thickness,  invariably  associated 


THE  MUTTON  TYPE  OF  SHEEP  535 

with  the  best  type.    A  short  body  —  at  least,  with  the  male  or 
feeder  —  is  much  preferred  to  a  long  one. 

The  hips  should  be  inconspicuous,  not  too  close  together,  and 
smoothly  covered. 

The  rump  requires  length,  breadth,  and  levelness,  with  a  full 
covering  of  flesh.  Instead  of  this  we  too  frequently  find  the 
peaked,  narrow,  droopy  rump  with  low-set  tail,  an  ill  form  either 
for  meat  production  or  in  relation  to  the  proper  conformation  in 
connection  with  the  reproductive  function. 

The  thighs  should  be  thick  from  behind,  very  full  and  low  in 
between  at  the  twist,  and,  as  viewed  from  one  side,  very  wide  and 
carried  strongly  back.  The  entire  upper  thigh  should  be  heavily 
covered  with  flesh.  The  lower  thigh,  above  the  hock,  must  show 
strength  and  neatness. 

The  hocks  should  be  straight  and  strong  with  ample  space 
between.  If  the  hocks  take  a  correct  position,  then  the  legs  will 
probably  do  likewise.  Crooked  hocks,  however,  are  a  common  and 
weak  formation  and  are  to  be  guarded  against  in  breeding  stock. 
The  legs  below  the  hocks  should  be  straight,  short,  and  strong. 

The  skin  is  a  quite  variable  feature  on  mutton  sheep.  A 
bright  pink  is  the  ideal  color,  with  the  skin  mellow  and  yet  firm, 
indicating  a  healthy  condition.  Instead  of  this  the  skin  is  fre- 
quently of  a  bluish-white  cast  or  appears  too  white.  A  somewhat 
mottled  or  bluish-white  color  also  occurs  with  some  individuals  or 
breeds.  There  are  differences  of  views  as  to  the  significance  of 
skin  color.  No  doubt  the  bluish  tint  of  the  Shropshire  or  Oxford 
skin  is  one  of  inheritance  and  does  not  necessarily  signify  poor 
condition.  The  clear  pink  skin,  however,  is  preferable  and  meets 
with  most  favor  among  critics. 

Tfat  fleshing  of  the  mutton  type  calls  for  a  smooth,  uniformly 
covered,  deep  layer  of  high-class  mutton  without  wads  of  fat 
or  patchiness  on  sides  or  rump.  Such  a  sheep  with  the  fleece 
removed  would  be  beautiful  in  the  general  symmetry  of  outline, 
whether  in  moderate  flesh  or  fed  for  slaughter. 

The  wool  of  the  mutton  type  ranges  in  length  from  about  two 
inches,  as  is  frequently  the  case  with  the  Southdown,  to  some  ten 
inches  or  possibly  more  for  a  year's  growth,  as  with  the  Lincoln. 
The  fleece  does  not  cover  the  body  so  compactly  as  with  the  fine 


536  SHEEP 

wool,  but  in  this  respect  that  of  the  medium  class  for  density  of 
covering  excels  the  long  wool,  which  is  the  most  open  of  all.  The 
fibers  range  in  character  from  those  which  are  fine  and  have  con- 
siderable crimp  to  those  which  are  long  and  wavy,  with  little  or 
no  real  crimp.  A  bright  fiber  with  more  or  less  luster  is  sought. 
Uniformity  is  important  in  length,  fineness,  and  diameter  of  staple. 
The  entire  body,  including  the  belly  and  much  of  the  armpits, 
should  be  covered  with  a  compact  fleece.  The  covering  on  head 
or  legs  varies  with  the  breed.  Hair  (kemp)  or  abnormal  color  of 
wool  fiber  are  distinctly  objectionable.  The  yolk  should  be  of 
moderate  abundance  and  uniformly  distributed,  indicating  the  wool 
to  be  in  a  healthy  condition. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII 
THE  SOUTHDOWN 

The  native  home  of  the  Southdown  breed  is  in  southeastern 
England  in  the  county  of  Sussex,  which  is  bordered  on  the  south 
by  the  English  Channel.  Extending  east  and  west  through  this 
region  is  a  range  of  low  chalky  hills  about  sixty  miles  long  and 
from  one  to  six  or  eight  miles  wide,  known  as  the  South  Downs. 
These  hills,. which  also  occur  in  Kent,  Hampshire,  and  Dorset, 
grow  a  short,  fine  herbage,  while  wheat  is  a  leading  cereal  crop, 
though  roots  do  well  under  suitable  conditions  on  the  lower-lying 
lands.  The  climate  is  mild  and  balmy,  being  tempered  by  the  sea. 

The  original  stock  from  which  the  Southdown  sprung  —  the 
native  Sussex  sheep  —  was  somewhat  small.  It  had  a  dark  face 
and  legs,  occasionally  small  horns,  was  long  and  thin  in  the  neck, 
light  in  the  fore  quarter,  with  narrow,  sagging  back,  the  body  lack- 
ing rib,  though  the  hind  quarter  had  a  thick  leg  of  mutton. 
Coarseness  of  bone  was  also  characteristic.  The  wool  was  short 
and  the  fleece  thin. 

The  important  early  improvers  of  the  Southdown  were  John 
Ellman  and  Jonas  Webb.  Other  men  assisted  in  the  improvement 
of  the  breed,  but  these  two  stand  out  in  bold  relief  among  the 
great  improvers  of  sheep. 

John  Ellman  lived  at  Glynde  near  Lewes,  Sussex  County, 
England.  He  was  the  first  improver  of  Southdown  sheep.  He 
began  his  work  about  1780  and  resided  on  the  same  farm  and 
bred  Southdowns  continuously  for  over  fifty  years.  Ellman  saw 
the  necessity  of  improving  the  native  Sussex  sheep  to  secure  a 
stronger  constitution,  a  better  mutton  form,  and  ease  of  fattening, 
with  a  smaller  per  cent  of  offal  in  killing.  He  sought  the  best 
sheep  wherever  obtainable  and  made  rapid  improvement  of  the 
breed.  A  son  of  Mr.  Ellman,  also  a  prominent  breeder  in  his  day, 
especially  credited  his  father  with  improvements  made  in  the  South- 
down neck  and  fore  quarters.  Ellman  very  generally  improved  the 

537 


538  SHEEP 

sheep,  creating  a  superior  mutton  beast  and  also  greatly  adding  to 
the  thickness  and  quality  of  the  fleece.  He  demonstrated  that  the 
breed  could  be  heavily  stocked  on  the  land.  In  1788  Arthur  Young 
wrote1:  "  Mr.  Ellman,  on  500  acres,  has  700  ewes,  lambs,  and 
wethers  in  winter,  and  1450  of  all  sorts  in  summer,  besides  140 
head  of  cattle."  Sheep  of  Ellman  breeding  did  not  receive  marked 
recognition  at  first,  but  eventually  he  commanded  high  prices.  In 


FIG.  241.  Babraham  Champion,  first-prize  and  reserve-champion  Southdown  ram 
at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  Show  in  1901.  Also  won  the  Blyth- 
wood  Challenge  Bowl  for  the  best  Southdown  of  either  sex  at  the  Oxfordshire 
Show.  Bred  and  owned  by  C.  Adeane,  Babraham,  Cambridge,  England,  and  used 
in  the  famous  Babraham  flock  in  1901  and  1902.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  F.  N.  Webb 

1798  the  Emperor  of  Russia  is  said  to  have  bought  2  rams  for 
$1500.  Ellman  is  universally  regarded  as  the  greatest  of  early 
sheep  improvers,  unless  we  except  Bakewell.  In  1829  he  retired 
and  dispersed  his  flock  of  about  1400  head,  of  which  241  were 
wether  lambs.  Mr.  Ellman  died  in  1832  in  his  eightieth  year. 

Jonas  Webb  of  Babraham,  Cambridge,  England,  a  tenant  farmer, 
built  on  the  Southdown  model  of  Ellman.  He  began  breeding 
about  1821  and  purchased  the  best  sheep  he  could  buy,  regardless 

1  Annals  of  Agriculture,  Vol.  XI,  p.  200. 


THE  SOUTHDOWN  539 

of  price.  These  he  mated  with  much  wisdom,  improving  the 
Southdown  into  the  very  best  known  type  of  mutton  sheep, — sym- 
metrical, an  easy  feeder,  and  unsurpassed  in  quality  of  flesh  and 
dressing  out  at  killing.  Southdowns  of  his  breeding  possessed  more- 
size  than  did  those  of  Ellman.  He  began  letting  out  rams  in  1823, 
and  about  1 846  was  placing  out  two  hundred  annually.  For  years 
his  ram  sales  and  letting-out  sales  were  important  events.  He  was 
a  most  successful  exhibitor,  and  in  1855  won  a  special  gold  medal 
for  his  Southdown  exhibit  at  the  International  Exposition  at  Paris, 


FIG.  242.    Three  of  the  Southdown  stock  rams  on  the  Babraham  estate,  near 
Cambridge,  England.    From  a  photograph  taken  in  1914  by  the  author 

France.  The  Webb  flock  was  dispersed  in  1862,  but  Mr.  C.  Adeane, 
the  owner  of  Babraham,  is  one  of  England's  best-known  breeders 
and  exhibitors  of  Southdowns.  For  years  Mr.  F.  N.  Webb,  a 
grandson  of  Jonas,  was  manager  of  Babraham  for  Mr.  Adeane. 

The  breeding  of  the  Southdown  by  the  English  nobility  has 
long  been  noteworthy.  In  the  time  of  Ellman,  George  the  Third 
became  interested  in  this  breed,  which  ever  since  has  been 
maintained  on  the  royal  estates.  The  late  Edward  VII,  as  well 
as  his  son  King  George,  maintained  for  years  a  fine  flock.  Lord 
Walsingham  was  long  a  prominent  breeder ;  while  the  estate  of 
the  Duke  of  Richmond  for  over  a  century  bred  Southdowns,  as 
have  the  Duke  of  Hamilton,  Duke  of  Marlborough,  Viscount 
Hampden,  and  numerous  others. 


540  SHEEP 

The  introduction  of  the  Southdown  to  America  without  doubt 
dates  back  to  colonial  days,  and  it  has  been  assumed  that  the  best 
sheep  of  Rhode  Island  and  eastern  Connecticut  were  of  this  breed. 
In  1803  a  Dr.  Rose  of  Fayette,  Seneca  County,  New  York,  is 
said  to  have  commenced  with  a  small  flock  of  Southdowns  which 
did  remarkably  well.  In  1813  these  were  crossed  with  Spanish 
Merinos.  In  1823  Sidney  Hawes  of  New  York  imported  some 
Southdowns  and  sold  36  ewes,  2  rams,  and  10  wethers  to  C.  N. 
Bement  of  Albany,  who  kept  up  his  flock  many  years.  In  1834 
Francis  Rotch  of  Otsego  County,  New  York,  imported  6  ewes 


FIG.  243.  A  pen  of  three  Southdown  ewe  lambs,  first  prize  in  class  at  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  England  Show,  1901.  Bred  and  exhibited  by  C.  Adeane, 
Babraham,  Cambridge,  England.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  F.  N.  Webb 

and  a  ram  from  the  flock  of  T.  Ellman,  the  son  of  John.  Follow- 
ing this  he  made  several  other  importations  from  the  most  noted 
English  flocks.  In  1834  Isaac  Maynard  of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio, 
brought  some  Southdowns  to  that  state,  while  in  1844  J.  F.  King 
of  Warren  began  breeding  from  Jonas  Webb  stock,  imported  by 
J.  M.  Hesless  of  Trumbull  County,  Ohio.  Good  examples  of 
Southdowns  were  shown  in  1851  at  the  Green  County  Fair, 
according  to  the  Ohio  Ctdtivator  (October  15,  1851).  With  the 
depreciation  in  Merino  interests  Southdowns  grew  in  favor  east 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  many  flocks  were  established. 

The  characteristics  of  the  early  Southdown,  as  bred  in  Ellman's 
time  are  interestingly  set  forth  by  Arthur  Young,1  the  noted  English 
authority  on  agriculture  of  a  century  and  more  ago. 

1  Annals  of  Agriculture,  Vol.  XI  (1789),  p.  198. 


THE  SOUTHDOWN 


541 


This  true  Southdown,  when  very  well  bred,  has  the  following  points :  no  horns ; 
a  long  speckled  face ;  clean  and  thin  jaw  ;  a  long  but  not  a  thin  neck ;  no  tuft 
of  wool  on  the  forehead,  which  they  call  owl  headed ;  nor  any  frize  of  wool  on 
the  cheeks  ;  thick  in  the  shoulder  ;  open  breasted  and  deep  ;  both  fore  and  hind 
legs  stand  wide ;  round  and  strait  in  the  barrel ;  wide  upon  the  loin  and  hips  •"" 
shut  well  in  the  twist,  which  is  a  projection  of  flesh  on  the  inner  part  of  the 
thigh,  that  gives  a  fullness  when  viewed  behind,  and  makes  a  Southdown  leg  of 
mutton  remarkably  round  and  short,  more  so  than  in  most  other  breeds ;  thin 
speckled  leg,  and  free  from  wool ;  the  belly  full  of  wool ;  the  wool  close  and  hard 
to  the  feel,  curdled  to  the  eye,  and  free  from  spiry  projecting  or  staring  fibers. 


FIG.  244.    A  Southdown  yearling  ewe  bred  and  owned  by  Illinois  University. 

Champion    Southdown   ewe  at  the   1917   International  Live-Stock    Exposition. 

From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  W.  C.  Coffey 

The  characteristics  of  the  Southdown  in  more  recent  years  show 
a  distinct  improvement.  In  1856  Professor  Wilson,  discussing  the 
British  breeds  of  sheep,1  pays  high  tribute  to  the  improvement 
made  by  Ellman  and  the  breeders  following  him.  At  this  time  the 
Southdown s  had  dark  brown  faces  and  legs,  had  been  increased 
in  size,  improved  in  the  width  and  depth  of  fore  quarter,  the  back 
and  loin  were  broader  and  more  level  of  carriage,  the  depth  of  rib 
increased,  the  hind  quarters  were  more  square  and  full,  and  the 

ijoitrnal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  Vol.  XVI  (1856),  p.  233. 


542 


SHEEP 


legs  finer  and  shorter  of  bone.  The  present-day  Southdown  is  by 
many  regarded  as  a  model  mutton  beast  for  the  butcher.  In  con- 
formation we  have  the  compact  form,  with  a  desirable  shortness  in 
head,  neck,  and  legs,  a  fullness  of  bosom,  a  neatly  laid  shoulder,  a 
strong  but  not  over-wide  back,  a  deep  middlepiece,  and  an  excep- 
tionally thick  and  well-laid  hind  quarter.  No  breed  of  sheep  fattens 
more  smoothly  and  uniformly  than  this,  and,  judging  by  carcass 
tests,  it  may  be  questioned  if  it  has  an  equal  in  this  respect.  The 


FIG.  245.    A  Southdown  ewe  and  her  lamb  bred  and  owned  by  the  Ohio  State 

University.    The  early-maturing  character  of  the  Southdown  is  strikingly  shown 

in  this  nine-months-old  lamb.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

Southdown  shows  a  curve  in  its  lines,  as  seen  in  the  spring  of  rib 
and  turn  of  shoulder  and  thigh,  that  is  distinctively  its  own.  The 
color  of  face  and  legs  ranges  from  a  light  gray  to  a  brown  or 
mouse  color.  The  standard  of  the  Southdown  association  specifies 
"  a  uniform  tint  of  brown,  or  gray,  or  mouse  color."  The  modern 
tendency  is  toward  a  light  brown.  Tht  fleece  is  fine  in  quality, 
but  is  commonly  short  of  staple  and  lacks  in  density.  The  wool 
extends  over  the  head  to  form  a  cap  reaching  the  eyes  or  some- 
what below.  The  legs  are  well  wooled  to  the  knees  and  hocks, 
with  a  light  covering  extending  to  the  ankles  on  many  well-bred 
Southdowns.  The  fleece  carries  only  a  moderate  amount  of  yolk  ; 


THE  SOUTHDOWN 


543 


in  fact,  in  many  instances  there  should  be  more.  A  clear  pink 
skin  is  desired  and  is  very  commonly  in  evidence,  though  dark 
spots  may  occur.  The  breed  is  hornless,  and  abortive  horns,  or 
scurs,  which  rarely  occur,  are  disqualifications.  The  Southdown  is 
noted  for  its  quiet,  docile  temperament. 

The    size  of  the   Southdown  is  inferior,  ranking  among  the 
smallest  of  the  middle-wool  class.    Yet  the  compactness  of  the 


FIG.  246.    Babraham  Magician  31433,  an  imported  Southdown  ram  owned  by  the 

Ohio  State  University.    This  is  the  sire  of  the  lambs  in  Figs.  248,  249,  and  250. 

From  photograph  by  the  author 

Southdown  is  such  that  individuals  weigh  very  heavy  for  their 
size.  In  1856  Wilson  wrote  that  at  two  years  of  age  they  weighed 
from  100  to  120  pounds  each.  Shaw  and  Heller  commenting  on 
the  size l  state  that  their  deceptive  weights  cause  them  to  be  called 
"big  little  sheep,"  and  assign  I/O  to  190  pounds  for  the  rams  and 
125  to  130  pounds  for  the  ewes.  Coffey2  credits  more  weight, 

1 E.  L.  Shaw  and  L.  L.  Heller,  "  Domestic  Breeds  of   Sheep  in  America," 
Bulletin  94.,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  1914. 
2  Productive  Sheep  Husbandry,  1918, 


544 


SHEEP 


placing  that  of  mature  rams  in  breeding  condition  at  185  to  220 
pounds  and  ewes  at  135  to  155  pounds.  George  McKerrow  of 
Wisconsin,  for  many  years  a  leading  Southdown  breeder  and 
importer,  reports  the  following  average  weights  of  specimens  of 
the  breed  about  September  I,  1889  :  two  two-year-old  rams,  206 
pounds  each;  three  yearling  rams,  153^  pounds  each;  two  aged 
ewes,  150  pounds  each;  four  yearling  ewes,  134!  pounds  each; 
March  lambs,  ioil  pounds  each.  The  heaviest  yearling  weighed 


FIG.  247.    Four  grade  C  type  Merino  ewes,  dams  of  the  five  lambs  in  Figs.  248, 

249,  and  250.    Compare  the  hind  "quarter  of  these  ewes  with  those  of  the  lambs 

in  Fig.  250.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

161  pounds  and  the  heaviest  lamb  no  pounds.  The  imported 
ram  Cheveley  Sheik,  owned  by  the  Ohio  State  University,  weighed 
218  pounds  as  a  three-year-old  in  breeding  form  and  with  a 
trimmed  fleece.  In  view  of  the  criticism  the  Southdown  has  been 
subjected  to  on  account  of  small  size,  it  would  seem  desirable  for 
breeders  to  seek  somewhat  more  scale,  still  maintaining  quality. 
A  weight  of  at  least  200  pounds  for  rams  and  150  pounds  for 
ewes,  in  breeding  condition,  would  redound  to  the  credit  of  the  breed. 
The  Southdown  as  a  feeder  is  certainly  in  the  front  rank.  In 
1856  Wilson  wrote  that  their  disposition  to  fatten  enables  them 
to  be  brought  into  the  market  at  twelve  and  fifteen  months  old, 


THE  SOUTHDOWN  545 

when  they  average  80  pounds  each.  In  feeding  experiments 
at  the  Iowa  Experiment  Station,  Southdown  wether  lambs  in  one 
trial  gained  a  daily  average  of  .45  pound  and  in  a  second  .35 
pound,  it  requiring  738  pounds  dry  matter  for  100  pounds  gain 
in  the  first  trial  and  989  pounds  in  the  second.  In  percentage  of 
dressed  carcass  the  lambs  in  the  first  trial  dressed  55.4  per  cent 
and  in  the  second  55.26  per  cent,  averaging  higher  than  any 
other  of  ten  breeds,  while  the  carcass  also  brought  in  each  trial 
the  highest  price  per  100  pounds.  At  the  Ontario  Agricultural 
College  the  average  weight  of  the  best  fat  shorn  Southdown 
grade  wethers  at  four  hundred  and  forty-five  days  was  185  pounds, 
the  mean  weight  of  all  the  Southdown  wethers  167  pounds,  while 
the  daily  gain  per  head  was  .33  pound.  Wallace  reports  that  fat 
wethers  rising  two  years  old,  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Bathurst 
and  sold  in  Cirencester  market  in  the  first  week  in  December, 
1884,  dressed  138  pounds  per  carcass,  or  34.5  pounds  per  quarter 
dead  weight,  and  yielded  65.83  per  cent  dressed  weight.  At  the 
Smithfield  Club  Show,  between  1895  and  1914,  according  to  Henry 
and  Morrison,  Southdown  lambs  averaged  123  pounds  alive,  the 
carcass  weighing  76  pounds,  dressing  out  62  per  cent.  Yearling 
wethers  weighed  142  pounds  alive,  dressing  out  65  per  cent. 

The  Southdown  for  quality  of  mutton,  since  its  early  improve- 
ment, has  held  premier  place  in  the  best  markets.  There  is  no 
excessive  fat  on  the  average  fed  carcass,  the  flesh  is  of  the  finest 
flavor  and  grain,  the  offal  is  comparatively  small,  and  the  bone 
is  fine.  It  is  for  these  reasons  that  the  Southdown  has  succeeded 
so  often  in  attaining  the  highest  awards  on  the  mutton  carcasses 
in  our  fat-stock  shows.  At  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposi- 
tion no  other  breed  during  the  history  of  the  show  has  in  a  com- 
parative way  won  so  many  important  prizes  in  the  carcass  contests. 
At  the  191 1  International  the  first-prize  yearling  wether,  a  South- 
down, weighed  alive  1 34  pounds  and  dressed  60.45  percent  carcass. 
The  champion  carcass  that  year  was  a  lamb  shown  by  Wisconsin 
University,  weighing  105  pounds  alive  and  dressing  58  per  cent 
carcass.  At  the  1916  show  the  first-prize  lamb  (a  Southdown 
shown  by  W.  H.  Miner),  weighing  90  pounds  alive  and  dressing 
55-55  Per  cent  carcass,  was  given  the  championship  and  sold  at 
60  cents  a  pound.  At  the  1918  International,  of  the  six  prizes  in 


546 


SHEEP 


the  carcass  contest  awarded  on  yearlings  and  lambs,  five  were  for 
pure-bred  Southdowns  and  one  for  grade  Southdowns.  The  grand 
championship  went  to  a  lamb  shown  by  W.  H.  Miner  that  weighed 
82  pounds  alive,  dressed  57.32  per  cent  carcass,  and  sold  for 
62  cents  a  pound.  "This  carcass,"  said  Robert  Lorimer,  the  judge, 
"was  the  most  perfect  I  ever  saw  in  my  life ;  from  the  butcher's 
point  of  view,  it  might  be  called  a  model." 

The  Southdown  crossbred  or  grade  has  long  met  with  great 
favor  in  the  mutton  market.    In  fact  the  Southdown  has  played 


FIG.  248.    Five  grade   Southdown  wether  lambs  sired  by  Babraham   Magician, 

out  of  grade  Merino  ewes.    Bred  and  owned  by  the  Ohio  State  University.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 

a  leading  part  in  forming  several  breeds,  notably  the  Shropshire, 
Hampshire,  and  Oxford,  though  it  has  been  used  more  or  less 
on  other  breeds  to  improve  the  fleshing  and  maturing  qualities. 
Grade  lambs,  the  result  of  Southdown  rams  on  common  ewes  of 
the  Merino  type  or  of  middle-wool  form,  will  always  be  in  com- 
paratively high  demand  by  butchers.  In  breeding  Southdown  rams 
to  native  grade  Merino  ewes  at  the  Ohio  State  University,  very 
superior  progeny  have  resulted  from  a  mutton  point  of  view,  show- 
ing strong  Southdown  character.  It  is  an  interesting  tribute  to 
the  value  of  Southdown  blood  in  mutton  improvement  that  rams 
of  this  breed  have  been  used  more  than  any  other  for  securing 


THE  SOUTHDOWN 


547 


high-class  wethers  for  showing  in  nonbreeding  classes  for  the 
butcher.  The  Southdown  blood  has  proved  very  prepotent.  At 
the  1918  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  a  very  beautiful 
carload  of  grade  Southdown  wether  lambs,  averaging  88  pounds,, 
were  awarded  grand  championship  honors  and  sold  for  the  high 
price  of  $40.50  per  hundred.  In  the  South  Dakota  feeding 
experiment  53  lambs  out  of  Western  native  ewes  sired  by  a 
Southdown  ram  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  and  dressed  out  53.1  per  cent  carcass  to  offal. 


FIG.  249.    Front  view  of  the  five  grade  Southdown  wether  lambs  shown  in  Fig.  248 

The  breeding  qualities  of  the  Southdown  are  about  average.  In 
1856  Professor  Wilson  of  Scotland  wrote:  "The  ewes  are  very 
prolific  and  are  excellent  mothers,  commonly  rearing  120  or  130 
lambs  to  the  100  ewes."  In  recent  years,  as  compared  with  the 
Shropshire,  the  breed  cannot  be  regarded  as  superior  in  fecundity. 
At  the  government  flock  in  Vermont,  according  to  Shaw  and 
Heller,  a  lamb  crop  of  125  per  cent  has  been  secured.  This  fig- 
ure is  no  doubt  a  conservative  estimate.  The  ewes  make  good 
mothers  and  have  a  fair  flow  of  milk. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Southdown  to  a  variety  of  conditions 
is  very  fair.  On  rolling  land,  and  even  on  hilly  land  producing 
plenty  of  pasture,  they  do  well.  On  the  slightly  rolling,  well-drained 
lands  of  the  Central  West  they  seem  to  thrive,  while  in  the  South 


548 


SHEEP 


this  has  been  one  of  the  best-known  breeds.    They  graze  well  and 
are  equally  hardy  with  most  middle-wool  sheep. 

The  Southdown  as  a  wool  sheep  occupies  a  subordinate  place. 
The  fleece  is  short  (averaging  perhaps  two  inches  long)  and, 
although  the  finest  of  the  native  British  breeds,  weighs  light,  an 
average  yield  for  a  flock  being  less  than  for  any  other  common 
breed.  Wallace  gives  the  weight  of  fleece  of  a  ewe  from  3  to  4 
pounds,  and  Shaw  from  5  to  7.  In  1891  General  C.  M.  Clay, 
who  bred  Southdowns  on  a  large  scale  in  Kentucky  for  over  fifty 


FIG.  250.    Rear  view  of  the  five  grade  Southdown  wether  lambs  shown  in  Fig.  248 

consecutive  years,  wrote  that  he  had  "  raised  wool  from  three  and 
one-half  pounds  to  seven  on  an  average."  Coffey  estimates  a 
yield  for  twelve  months  of  5  to  8  pounds  of  wool,  and  the 
government  flock  at  the  Morgan  Horse  Farm  at  Middlebury,  Ver- 
mont, has  averaged  approximately  7  pounds  to  the  fleece  in  recent 
years,  one  ram  producing  over  12  pounds.  While  the  fleece  is 
usually  very  fine,  often  grading  half-blood  combing,  its  short 
length,  freedom  from  yolk,  and  small  size  of  sheep  combine  to 
produce  a  fleece  not  weighing  much  over  6  pounds. 

Notable  prices  for  Southdown  sheep  have  been  paid  since  the 
days  of  Ellman,  though  the  figures  are  not  so  large  as  those  derived 
from  Lincoln  or  Merino  sales.  In  1787  the  first  Southdown  ram 


THE  SOUTHDOWN 


549 


to  bring  10  guineas  ($50)  was  sold  by  Ellman  to  Lord  Walder- 
grave.  In  1794  the  Earl  of  Egremont  gave  Ellman  about  $10 
each  for  50  ewes.  In  1796  this  same  breeder  sold  a  ram  for  50 
guineas,  or  $250.  Later  the  Emperor  of  Russia  and  the  Duke 
of  Bedford  each  took  two  of  Mr.  Ellman's  rams  at  150  guineas 
($75°)  Per  head.  In  1829,  when  the  Ellman  flock  was  dispersed, 
36  rams  averaged  about  $125  each.  At  the  dispersal  sales  of 
Jonas  Webb  in  1861  and  1862  there  were  sold  1404  sheep  at  an 
average  of  £11  17 's.  3^.,  almost  $58  each,  the  highest  price,  260 
guineas,  or  $1300,  being  for  a  ram.  In  1889  and  1900,  at  the 


FIG.  251.   The  reserve  Southdown  ewes  on  pasture  at  Babraham.   From  photo- 
graph taken  in  1914  by  the  author 

sales  of  Henry  Webb  in  Cambridgeshire,  745  rams  and  ewes  aver- 
aged about  $60  each,  the  top  price  being  210  guineas.  In  earlier 
days  higher  prices  ruled  for  Southdowns  in  America  than  now. 
In  1856,  at  the  sale  of  L.  J.  Morris,  at  Fordham,  New  York,  the 
ewes  averaged  $150,  and  one  imported  ram  brought  $400.  The  ram 
Archbishop,  bred  by  Jonas' Webb,  was  imported  by  G.  H.  Brown 
and  cost  $1250.  No  remarkable  prices  have  been  paid  for  South- 
downs  in  recent  years.  The  American  trade  is  conservative  on 
prices,  and  the  British  is  very  much  the  same.  In  the  dispersal 
of  the  famous  flock  of  W.  M.  Cazalet,  Fairlawn,  Kent,  England, 
in  1916,  the  leading  sale  for  the  year,  306  head  brought  about 
$10,500,  averaging  approximately  $33.50  per  head.  Twenty-eight 
rams  averaged  about  $100  each,  one  fetching  $500. 


550  SHEEP 

The  promotion  of  Southdown  sheep  in  an  official  way  was 
first  undertaken  by  the  organization  in  1882  of  the  American 
Southdown  Breeders'  Association,  which  has  had  headquarters  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  for  many  years.  This  association  has  pub- 
lished seventeen  flock  books  up  to  1919.  In  England  the  South- 
down Sheep  Society,  organized  about  1892,  promotes  the  welfare 
of  the  breed.  Since  1893,  when  the  first  volume  of  the  British  flock 
book  was  published,  the  society  has  published  thirty-two  volumes, 
including  the  registration  of  a  large  number  of  sheep. 

The  distribution  of  the  Southdown  is  world-wide.  It  has  been 
exported  from  England  into  almost  every  country  of  Europe, 
Africa,  Australia,  and  America,  where  civilization  and  sheep  hus- 
bandry at  all  prevail.  Even  as  late  as  1903  exports  were  made 
to  the  United  States,  France,  Russia,  Australia,  the  Argentine 
Republic,  Chile,  and  Japan.  Perhaps  no  breed  of  sheep  during  its 
career  has  had  an  equally  wide  distribution.  In  the  United  States 
Southdowns  are  recorded  as  bred  in  nearly  fifty  states,  impor- 
tant flocks  being  kept  in  Ohio,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Illinois, 
Wisconsin,  Vermont,  West  Virginia,  and.  Kentucky.  Southdowns, 
all  things  considered,  are  more  popular  in  the  South  than  any 
other  breed.  They  are  also  well  represented  in  Canada,  notably 
in  Ontario. 


CHAPTER  XLIX 

THE  SHROPSHIRE 

The  native  home  of  Shropshire  sheep  is  in  the  counties  of  Shrop- 
shire and  Stafford,  England.  Shropshire  is  in  central-western  Eng- 
land, being  bounded  on  the  west  by  Wales,  while  Stafford  lies  just 
to  the  east.  Shropshire  is  an  irregular  parallelogram  with  an  area 
of  about  1346  square  miles.  The  river  Severn  flows  through  the 
county,  and  Shrewsbury,  with  a  population  of  about  30,000,  is  the 
county  seat.  In  1 803  Plymley  wrote  1 : 

Though  no  part  of  this  county  can  be  called  flat,  generally  speaking,  yet 
the  northeastern  parts  are  comparatively  so,  as  contrasted  with  the  hills  on  its 
southern  and  western  borders,  leading  on  to  the  Welsh  mountains,  and  with 
the  hills  of  Derbyshire  and  Staffordshire  to  the  east  unite  with  the  still  more 
level  country  of  Chester,  in  forming  a  great  plain  or  valley. 

The  Clee  Hills  to  the  southwest  rise  to  an  altitude  of  1800  feet. 
The  soil  varies  from  light  alluvial  to  heavy  clay,  and  the  small 
cereals,  grasses,  and  root  crops  do  well.  The  climate  is  moderate 
and  well  suited  to  sheep. 

The  origin  of  Shropshire  sheep  is  from  several  native  types 
on  which  Southdown,  Leicester,  and  Cotswold  blood  was  used.  In 
1803  Plymley  wrote  that  considerable  flocks  were  then  kept  in 
southwest  Shropshire,  but  in  the  county,  as  a  whole,  flocks  were 
few  and  small.  He  states  that  there  is  a  breed  of  sheep  on  the 
Longmynd  with  horns  and  black  faces  that  seems  an  indigenous 
sort ;  these  sheep  are  nimble,  hardy,  and  weigh  near  ten  pounds  a 
quarter  when  fatted,  and  have  fleeces  that  may  weigh  two  and  one- 
half  pounds,  of  which  a  half  will  be  breechin,  or  coarse  wool.  He  also 
states  that  the  farmers  of  the  hill  country  seem  to  think  the  great- 
est advantage  they  derive  from  the  access  of  foreign  stock  is  from 
the  cross  of  the  Southdown  with  Longmynd  sheep.  In  1792  the 
Bristol  Wool  Society,  reporting  on  the  sheep  of  England,2  stated 

1  Joseph  Plymley,  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Shropshire,  1803. 

2  John  A.  Craig,  Sheep  Farming  in  North  America.    New  York,  1913. 


iOUTHBRADFO  B"x--/' 


l^-.r-^---^£ND?;^^ 


** 


FIG.  252.    An  old  map  of  Shropshire,  England,  reproduced  from  Plymley's  "Gen- 
eral View  of  the  Agriculture  of  Shropshire,"  1803.    The  word  "  Hundred"  seen 
on  the  map  represents  a  division  of  the  country  in  which  originally  one  hundred 
families  were  supposed  to  reside 


THE  SHROPSHIRE  553 

that  on  Morfe  Common,  near  Bridgnorth  in  southeast  Shropshire, 
as  many  as  10,000  sheep  were  pastured  in  summer  which  pro- 
duced wool  of  superior  quality.  "  They  are  considered  a  native 
breed  —  a  black-faced  or  a  brown  or  spotted  face,  horned^ 
sheep,  little  subject  to  either  rot  or  scab,  clipping  nearly  two 
pounds  of  fleece  exclusive  of  the  breeching,  which  may  be 
taken  at  one-seventh  or  one-eighth  part  of  the  whole."  On 
Cannock  Chase  in  Staffordshire  was  found  a  similar  but  some- 
what larger,  slow-maturing  sheep,  from  which  was  descended  some 


I 


FIG.  253.    Shropshire  yearling  ewes,  prize  winners  at  the  1859  show  of  the  Royal 

Agricultural  Society  of  England.    Exhibited  by  J.  Crane.    From  a  photograph  of 

an  old  English  painting 

of  the  best  Shropshire  flocks  of  to-day.  On  Whittington  Heath 
in  Shropshire  a  type  similar  to  that  of  Cannock  Chase  also  existed 
and  became  amalgamated  in  the  general  improvement.  The  South- 
down was  used  on  these  to  secure  quality,  while  the  Leicester 
and  Cotswold  blood  were  used  to  obtain  size  and  fleece,  and  from 
this  combination,  after  a  considerable  process  of  selection,  came 
the  modern  Shropshire.  The  breed  is  comparatively  recent  in  its 
present  character,  though  Alfred  Mansell  says  the  best  character- 
istics were  present  when  the  work  of  improvement  was  begun. 
As  late  as  1858  Professor  Tanner  wrote1:  "  Only  a  few  years 

1  Henry  Tanner,  "The  Agriculture  of  Shropshire,"/^?7*-  Royal Ag.  Soc.,  1858. 


554  SHEEP 

since  any  mention  of  the  Shropshire  Down  sheep  raised  an  in- 
quiry, even  among  intellectual  agriculturists,  as  to  their  character, 
and  few,  comparatively  speaking,  knew  anything  of  them."  Tan- 
ner, however,  refers  to  the  rapid  rise  in  popularity  of  the  breed 
and  states  that  at  the  time  of  writing  Shropshires  "  stand  high 
as  general  favorites,  and  are  rapidly  extending  throughout  this 
and  foreign  countries."  In  1859,  in  an  interesting  essay  on  cross- 
breeding,1 W.  C.  Spooner  discusses  the  origin  of  various  British 
breeds,  in  which  he  quotes  J.  Meire,  with  the  following  statement 
to  a  farmers'  club  in  Shropshire : 

It  is  not  attempted  to  be  denied  that  the  Shropshire  is  a  cross-bred  sheep ; 
the  original  breed  was  horned,  and  the  first  attempt  at  improvement  was  to 
get  rid  of  these  incumbrances,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  this  was  effected 
by  a  cross  of  the  Southdown.  This  sheep  was  well  adapted  for  the  Downs, 
but  for  the  enclosures  of  Shropshire  something  more  docile  was  required, 
consequently  recourse  was  had  to  the  Leicester. 

Spooner  states  that  this  crossing  and  recrossing  was  followed  by 
careful  selection,  until  at  the  time  of  his  writing  (1859)  "no 
further  cross  is  required." 

Two  early  prominent  improvers  of  the  Shropshire  are  said  to 
have  been  Samuel  Meire  of  Berrington  and  later  of  Harley,  near 
Shrewsbury,  and  George  Adney  of  Harley.  Meire  sought  to  remove 
the  Shropshire  coarseness  and  horns  and  to  improve  the  levelness 
of  back  and  spring  of  rib,  the  obliqueness  of  shoulder,  and  the 
breadth  and  fullness  of  rump.  He  purchased  or  hired  Southdown 
rams  from  John  Ellman  of  Glynde  and  used  them  in  his  flock. 
He  also  used  Leicester  blood,  with  the  purpose  of  getting  better 
feeders  and  animals  of  shorter  body.  After  securing  his  type  he 
practiced  the  selection  necessary  to  establish  his  improvement. 
Adney  did  not  cross  extensively,  but  a  ram  named  Buckskin  used 
in  his  flock,  with  Southdown  blood  in  his  veins,  produced  superior 
sheep,  one  of  which,  the  ewe  Old  Patentee,  was  a  famous  dam 
and  prize  winner  whose  blood  is  prominent  in  the  best  early  Shrop- 
shire pedigrees.  Many  of  the  best  flocks  of  to-day  trace  to  those 
of  Meire  and  Adney.  Other  prominent  breeders  and  improvers 
were  G.  M.  Kettle  of  Dallicott,  Henry  Smith  of  Shiffnal,  Green  of 

1  Journal  of  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England \  Vol.  XX  (1859),  p.  294. 


THE  SHROPSHIRE  555 

Marlow,  Horton  of  Shrewsbury,  Farmer  of  Bridgnorth,  Thomas 
Mansell,  Thomas  Harley,  J.  &  E.  Crane,  and  John  Stubbs. 

Shropshires  were  first  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Show  in  England 
in  1853  in  a  special  class  for  short- wooled  sheep,  and  in  1859- 
were  given  a  class  as  a  separate  breed.  Within  a  few  years  it  was 
the  most  prominent  breed  shown,  875  head  being  exhibited  at  the 
Shrewsbury  Royal  in  1884  compared  with  420  representing  all 
other  breeds.  At  the  Royal  Show  in  1914,  held  at  Shrewsbury, 
which  was  attended  by  the  author,  the  total  entries  of  sheep  of 


FIG.  254.    Second-prize  pen  of  Shropshire  yearling  rams  at  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  of  England  Show,  1904.    Bred  and  exhibited  by  Sir  R.  P.  Cooper, 
Bart.,  Shenstone,  England.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William  Cooper 
&  Nephews,  Berkhamsted,  England 

all  breeds  were  886,  of  which  the  Shropshire  numbered  145,  the 
second  in  numbers  being  the  Romney  Marsh  with  84  head,  and 
the  third  the  Southdown  with  76  head. 

The  introduction  of  the  Shropshire  to  America  was  necessarily 
comparatively  recent.  Shaw  and  Heller  state  that  they  were  intro- 
duced to  Virginia  as  early  as  1855,  but  the  records  do  not  state 
by  whom.  In  1860  Samuel  Sutton  of  Relay  House,  Maryland, 
imported  a  ram  and  twenty  ewes,  which  the  American  Farmer 
for  August,  1 86 1,  reports  were  the  first  of  the  breed  to  be  im- 
ported to  America.  According  to  Randall l  two  Shropshires  were 
imported  by  N.  L.  Chaffee  of  Jefferson,  Ashtabula  County,  Ohio, 
in  1 86 1 — a  ram,  Lion,  and  a  ewe,  Nancy,  both  bred  by  Lord 
Berwick  of  Shrewsbury.  About  1861  A.  B.  Conger  of  Haver- 
straw,  New  York,  had  a  flock,  and  in  1 864  he  sold  the  first  of  the 

J  Henry  S.  Randall,  The  Practical  Shepherd  (1863),  p.  64. 


556  SHEEP 

breed  to  go  into  New  Hampshire,  to  P.  W.  Jones  of  Amherst. 
Shropshires  were  exhibited  at  the  New  York  State  Fair  at  Elmira, 
in  1 86 1,  including  the  ram  Gratitude,  that  had  been  shown  the 
year  previous  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show  at  Canter- 
bury, England.  In  1862  P.  Lorillard  of  Fordham,  New  York,  also 
had  a  flock,  and  in  1868  L.  C.  Fish  of  Otego,  New  York,  began 
breeding  them.  About  1875  the  first  Shropshires  were  brought 
from  Canada  to  Michigan  by  Mrs.  Ann  Newton  of  Pontiac.  In 
1880  this  breed  was  advertised  by  J.  A.  Brown  &  Son  of  Decatur, 
Illinois.  Along  in  the  eighties  numerous  importations  were  made 
into  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Michigan,  and  the  breed  became  well 


FIG.  255.    The  champion  pen  of  Shropshire  yearling  ewes  at  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  of  England  Show,  1897.    Bred  and  exhibited  by  T.  Bowen-Jones, 
Shrewsbury,  England.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

distributed.  The  World's  Columbian  Exposition  Show  at  Chicago 
in  1893  excited  much  interest  in  the  Shropshire  and  greatly 
stimulated  importation,  and  large  numbers  of  these  sheep  were 
brought  to  America  in  the  next  few  years. 

Characteristics  of  the  Shropshire.  This  breed  is  of  the  medium- 
wool  class  and  is  somewhat  heavier  and  larger  than  the  Southdown. 
The  face,  ears,  and  legs  are  usually  a  dark  brown  or  blackish  brown, 
although  prior  to  1900  they  were  often  grayish  brown  of  face. 
There  may  be  some  variations  in  color,  and  steel  gray  is  often 
found  in  accredited  flocks,  though  it  is  not  popular.  A  light  rusty 
brown  of  a  faded  reddish  shade  or  spotted  markings  may  disqualify. 
The  head  is  hornless  and  is  slightly  larger  than  the  Southdown, 
and  in  the  best  specimens  is  covered  with  a  striking  cap  of  wool 
even  to  the  nostrils,  covering  all  but  a  small  part  of  the  nose.  The 
ears  should  be  small,  short,  and  moderately  broad,  and  be  well 
covered  with  short,  fine  wool.  Shropshire  ears  are  often  bare  of 


THE  SHROPSHIRE 


557 


wool  and  too  large  and  plain.  The  back  and  loin  of  the  Shrop- 
shire is  one  of  its  strong  features,  combining  level  carriage,  width, 
and  covering  to  a  commendable  degree.  Fullness  of  bosom,  a 
wide,  prominent  brisket,  and  a  well-sprung,  deep  rib  combine  to. 
give  an  impression  of  strong  digestive  capacity.  The  hind  qtiar- 
ters  on  the  average  Shropshire  lack  in  width  and  level  carriage  of 
rump  and  thickness  of  thigh  and  twist  of  the  Southdown.  The 
fleece  covers  the  entire  body  admirably,  being  compact  and  fairly 
long  and  of  superior  quality.  In  temperament  Shropshires  are  of 
first  class,  being  easily  handled.  The  skin  of  representatives  of 
this  breed  is  very  often  mottled  or  bluish  pink  and  lacks  the 
superior  quality  and  color  of 
either  the  Merino  or  Chev- 
iot. Modern-day  Shrop- 
shire breeders  discriminate 
against  dark  skins  and  em- 
phasize the  importance  of  a 
clear,  bright  pink  or  cherry- 
red  color.  Evidence  of 
horns  or  stubs,  heads  bare 

of   WOol,    and   obscurity   of      FIG.  256.    A  pair  of  prize-winning  Shropshire 

breed    character   are    dis-     ewes  f  the-  Pan-American  Exposition,  1901. 

.  11-        Owned    and    exhibited    by    G.    H.    Davison, 

qualifications,  On  the  basis  Millbrook,  New  York.  From  photograph,  by 
of  the  official  Standard  of  courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

excellence.    "  In  style  and 

show-yard  finish,"  says  Coffey,1  "  the  Shropshire  is  impressive  and 
it  leads  the  mutton  breeds  in  drawing  attention  and  admiration  at 
live-stock  exhibitions.  With  its  head  set  proudly  upon  a  gracefully 
turned  neck,  and  its  smoothly  turned  symmetrical  body,  and  its  pic- 
turesque extension  of  downy,  white  wool  over  the  face  and  legs,  it 
possesses  an  air  of  grandeur  rather  than  of  smartness  and  nattiness 
which  is  characteristic  of  the  Southdown." 

The  size  of  the  Shropshire  is  about  medium  among  breeds  of 
its  class.  A  standard  weight  for  rams  in  good  breeding  condition 
is  225  pounds,  with  150  to  180  for  ewes.  Coffey  gives  200  to 
250  pounds  for  rams  and  150  to  180  pounds  for  ewes.  The 
official  standard  of  the  American  Shropshire  Association  is  175 

1  Productive  Sheep  Husbandry,  1918. 


553 


SHEEP 


to  250  pounds  for  rams  and  140  to  180  pounds  for  ewes.  Two- 
hundred-and-fifty-pound  rams  and  one-hundred-and-eighty-pound 
ewes  are  very  exceptional,  notwithstanding  the  present  tendency 
to  breed  for  more  size  than  was  the  case  a  few  years  ago.  In 
the  show  ring,  providing  there  is  sufficient  quality,  the  larger 
Shropshires  receive  preference  from  the  critics,  although  exces- 
sive size  is  as  undesirable  as  undersize. 

The  Shropshire  as  a  mutton  sheep  is  of  a  superior  order,  rank- 
ing next  to  the  Southdown,  and  when  well  fed  often  equaling  it. 

In  the  Iowa  Station 
breed  test  Shropshire 
fattening  wethers  of  an 
average  age  of  three 
hundred  and  seventy- 
one  days,  in  the  first 
trial,  made  an  average 
daily  gain  of  .48  pound, 
and  in  the  second  trial, 
covering  two  hundred 
and  seventy-nine  days, 
gained  an  average  of 
.36  pound  daily.  In 
one  trial  it  required 
718  pounds  dry  matter 
for  100  pounds  gain, 
and  in  the  other  1026 

for  100  pounds  gain.  The  valuation  per  100  pounds  live  weight 
ranked  second  to  the  Southdowhs,  namely,  $4.63  and  $5.60  for 
each  trial.  In  feeding  experiments  on  Shropshire  lambs  con- 
ducted by  Professor  Brown  at  the  Ontario  College,  grades  of  this 
breed  made  the  best  record  among  five  tested.  The  Shropshire 
has  not  figured  prominently  in  the  carcass  contests  at  the  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition,  perhaps  because  breeders  were 
not  interested  to  present  this  breed  in  an  aggressive  way  for  this 
purpose.  In  1908  the  University  of  Wisconsin  won  first  in  the 
yearling  carcass  class  with  a  Shropshire  that  weighed  167  pounds 
on  foot  and  dressed  59.88  per  cent  carcass,  but  won  the  grand 
championship  with  the  carcass  of  a  Southdown  lamb.  In  general 


FIG.  257.    Montford  Emblem  (imp.),  the  champion 

Shropshire  ram  in  America  in  1918  at  the  leading 

shows.     Owned  by  Jess  C.   Andrew,  West  Point, 

Indiana.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  SHROPSHIRE 


559 


practice,  however,  the  Shropshire  has  proved  to  be  a  superior  feeder 
and  produces  a  choice  grade  of  mutton,  though  not  likely  to  take 
on  fat  with  quite  the  smoothness  and  evenness  of  the  Southdown. 
Crossbred  or  grade  Shropshires  are  to-day  one  of  the  most- 
common  types  of  mutton  sheep  found  on  the  market.  Shropshire 
rams  used  on  native  ewes  furnish  lambs  of  a  much-desired  class ; 
they  fatten  easily,  are  not  too  large,  and  are  profitable  killers.  In 
the  Mississippi  Valley  states  Shropshire  grades  are  the  common 
sheep  outside  of  Merino  communities.  A  Shropshire  ram-Merino 
ewe  cross  is  also  a  very 
beneficial  one  from  a 
mutton  point  of  view. 
Used  on  the  long-wool 
grade  ewes  a  smaller, 
better  mutton  sheep 
results,  with  a  more 
profitable  fleece.  In 
1894  Alexander  Bruce, 
chief  live-stock  inspec- 
tor for  New  South 
Wales,  wrote : ' '  For  the 
production  of  prime  fat 
lambs  there  is  no  better  FIG  ^  Front  yiew  ot  the  Shropshire  ram  Brough. 

ram  (if  there  be  as  good)  tons  2532  in  field  condition.  Owned  by  the  Ohio 
than  the  Shropshire,  State  University.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

and  the  result  is  equally 

favorable  where  that  ram  is  put  to  crossbred  ewes."  From  a 
fleece  point  of  view  the  Shropshire  crossbred  or  grade  produces 
a  class  of  wool  much  in  favor  and  for  which,  other  things  being 
equal,  there  is  a  great  demand  at  the  higher  market  price. 
Reporting  on  the  use  of  Shropshire  rams  on  Merino  ewes,  Craig 
states  of  the  first  cross  that  "the  fleece  is  exceptional  in  the 
degree  to  which  it  meets  the  demand  of  the  market  for  a  medium 
combing  wool.  The  fiber  is  coarser  and  longer  than  the  pure 
Merino,  but  these  qualities  in  connection  with  its  firmness  and 
strength  make  the  fleece  worth  more  in  the  market." 

The  Shropshire  as  a  grazing  sheep  ranks  but  fair.    It  is  espe- 
cially adapted  to  regions  where  the  pastures  are  superior,  but  it 


560  SHEEP 

is  not  so  well  adapted  to  hilly  land  nor  to  sparse  pasturage  as 
the  Merino,  Southdown,  or  Cheviot.  It  is  distinctly  suited  to  the 
corn  belt  of  America,  where  it  is  most  abundant.  It  is  also  well 
suited  to  the  better  Canadian  pastures,  and  in  New  England 
satisfactory  results  have  been  secured  on  the  more  fertile  low- 
lands or  in  the  upland  valleys.  It  may,  in  fact,  be  regarded  as 
adapted  to  average  conditions. 

The  early  maturing  qualities  of  the  Shropshire  are  pronounced, 
ranking  in  the  first  class.  Lambs  at  four  months  will  easily  weigh 
40  pounds  and  under  special  feeding  will  attain  a  weight  of  ap- 
proximately 70  pounds.  The  grand-champion  carload  at  the  1913 
International  —  a  very  choice  exhibit  by  Knollin  and  Finch  of 
Idaho  —  was  of  pure-bred  Shropshire  lambs.  They  were  lambed 
between  April  10  and  20,  and  the  55  head  in  Chicago  had  an 
average  weight  of  98  pounds,  which  shows  an  approximate -daily 
gain  of  .41  pound  for  two  hundred  and  thirty  days.  Considering 
the  long  shipment  from  Idaho  to  Chicago,  this  is  a  fine  showing. 
At  twelve  months,  under  fair  conditions,  the  weight  should  be 
about  100  pounds  without  forced  feeding.  Wallace  gives  20  to 
22  pounds  per  quarter  the  dead  weight  at  twelve  months  old. 
The  early-maturing,  easy-fattening  character  of  the  breed  or  its 
cross  or  grade  is  what  makes  it  so  popular  among  feeders. 
Further,  for  years  dark-faced  mutton  has  been  more  popular  in 
the  market  than  the  white-faced. 

The  constitutional  vigor  of  the  Shropshire  has  been  criticized 
as  not  of  the  hardiest  sort.  Compared  with  the  Merino,  the 
Shropshire  is  more  subject  to  colds  in  winter  and  shows  less 
resistance  to  the  twisted  stomach  worm  (Strongylus)  than  is  de- 
sirable. From  the  observation  of  the  author,  while  the  Shropshire 
is  not  lacking  in  vitality  in  comparison  with  other  mutton  breeds, 
it  does  not  show  the  resistance  to  disease  and  parasites  that  the 
Delaine,  Rambouillet,  or  Cheviot  do. 

The  fecundity  of  Shropshire  sheep  is  notable.  The  ewes  of 
this  breed  have  long  been  noted  for  the  number  of  lambs  they 
will  produce.  A  ewe  owned  by  a  Mr.  Pochin  at  Leicester, 
England,  dropped  5  lambs  in  1882,  4  in  1883,  and  4  in  1884. 
A  writer  in  the  English  Agricultural  Gazette  in  1879  reports 
that  in  1877  he  had  125  ewes  suckle  194  lambs,  in  1878  he 


THE  SHROPSHIRE 


56l 


had  120  suckle  176,  and  in  1879  he  had  124  suckle  191. 
Mr.  Alfred  Mansell,  secretary  of  the  English  Shropshire  Society, 
states  that  150  to  175  lambs  per  100  is  the  usual  average  and 
that  11,666  ewes  in  1896  reared  168  lambs  per  100  ewes.  In  a 
study  of  23,037  Shropshires  recorded  in  the  "  American  Shrop- 
shire Flock  Book"  the  author  found  13,659,  or  59.2  per  cent,  of 
single  birth;  9053,  or  39.2  per  cent,  registered  as  twins;  and 
315,  or  1.3  per  cent,  as  triplets  —  this  record  covering  the  years 


FIG.  259.  A  first-prize  Shropshire  ewe  lamb  at  the  1918  International  Live-Stock 
Exposition.  Bred  and  exhibited  by  Illinois  University.  This  is  a  very  beautiful 
example  of  the  breed.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  W.  C.  Coffey 

1890  to  1899.  Undoubtedly  one  may  safely  count  on  125  to  150 
per  cent  lambs  to  ewes  and,  where  carefully  selected  for  prolifi- 
cacy, even  175.  But  twins  and  triplets  are  as  a  rule  less  strong 
than  single  lambs,  and  the  first  thing  of  importance  is  a  strong, 
lusty,  growthy  lamb.  While  breed  advocates  have  reason  to  be 
proud  of  the  fecundity  of  the  Shropshire,  in  which  regard  it  is 
not  surpassed,  triplets  are  undesirable,  and  100  per  cent  lambs 
raised  to  full  strength  for  a  year  is  a  fine  record. 

The   Shropshire  as  a  wool  producer   ranks  very  well.     The 
average  fleece  of  unwashed  wool  will  probably  not  much  exceed 


562 


SHEEP 


8  pounds.  Wallace  places  7  or  8  pounds  a  good  average  weight 
for  the  fleece  of  an  ordinary  ewe  flock,  while  Professor  Thomas 
Shaw  gives  9  to  10  pounds  for  the  ewes  and  12  to  15  pounds 
for  the  rams  as  the  average  of  a  "  good  flock."  Coffey  gives  the 
average  weight  of  fleece  at  8  to  10  pounds,  and  Shaw  and  Heller 
refer  to  a  flock  of  200  ewes  where  fleeces  averaged  10.31  pounds. 
The  staple  of  the  Shropshire  is  rather  compact,  of  better  than 
medium  quality  usually,  and  grades  as  three-eighths  combing  in 
the  wool  trade.  In  good  specimens  it  is  of  superior  fineness  and 

crimp  and  ranges  from 
two  and  one-half  to 
three  inches  long,  dis- 
tinctly longer  than  the 
Southdown  but  shorter 
than  Oxford  or  Hamp- 
shire. When  the  fleece 
is  opened  it  frequently 
shows  a  considerable 
yolk  for  medium  wool 
and  has  a  most  attrac- 
tive fiber-.  A  good  spec- 
imen of  Shropshire 
should  be  well  covered 


FIG.  260.  Corston,  the  home  of  T.  A.  Buttar  at 
Cupar-Angus,  Scotland.  Mr.  Buttar  is  perhaps  the 
greatest  breeder  of  Shropshires  living  to-day  (1920), 
and  his  sheep  are  famous  for  their  excellence.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 


with  wool  over  the  belly 
and  down  the  legs  to 
below  knee  and  hock. 
Dark  wool  should  not 

occur,  unless  in  a  slight  degree  below  the  hocks,  but  dark  or  black 
locks  occasionally  appear  in  a  small  way,  more  especially  about  the 
poll.  In  the  pure-bred  flock  it  is  not  only  important  to  use  a  ram 
that  has  a  fleece  of  good  quality  and  weight  but  the  color  should 
be  a  pure  white. 

The  prices  paid  for  Shropshires,  while  not  comparable  with 
some  of  the  other  breeds,  such  as  the  Merino  and  Lincoln,  have 
attained  very  high  figures.  In  1881  Mr.  A.  B.  Allen  wrote: 
"  I  notice  from  late  sales  reported  in  the  English  papers  the 
choicest  are  bringing  high  prices,  10  to  100  guineas  ($50  to  $500) 
each,  and  one  ram  has  been  sold  for  the  extraordinary  sum  of 


THE  SHROPSHIRE  563 

200  guineas  ($1000)."  Mr.  Alfred  Mansell,  long -a  prominent 
auctioneer  of  Shropshires  abroad,  has  published  quite  a  record  of 
Shropshire  sale  prices.  A  list  of  464  rams  ranged  in  average 
selling  price  at  auction  from  slightly  above  $100  per  head  to  over 
$200,  while  1700  ewes  sold  at  prices  ranging  from  $20  to  over 
$50  per  head.  A  list  of  5 3,  rams  is  also  given  by  name,  which 
have  either  sold  or  been  hired  for  from  $305  up  to  $1250  each, 
9  of  which  came  within  the  $1000  list.  In  1893  W.  Bowen- 
Jones  of  England  sold  a  ram  at  auction  for  $1000  to  Thomas  and 
Son.  In  1896  Mr.  Mansell  wrote:  "  Foreign  and  colonial  flock- 
masters  have  been  good  customers,  and  at  high  prices,  running 
up  to  200  guineas  for  rams,  30  guineas  for  ram  lambs,  40  pounds  for 
ewes,  and  15  guineas  for  ewe  lambs."  In  1910  Thomas  Minton 
of  Montford,  Shrewsbury,  a  most  noted  constructive  English 
breeder,  sold  the  two-year-old  ram  Montford  Trader  at  auction  for 
$1125,  the  record  price  up  to  that  date.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  the  Minton  flock,  owing  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Minton,  was 
dispersed  at  auction,  September  19,  1917,  when  391  head  aver- 
aged $$o  each,  39  rams  averaged  $85,  and  90  stock  ewes  about 
$45  each.  In  the  United  States  values  as  a  rule  have  been  con- 
servative. The  champion  ram  of  the  breed  at  the  1909  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition,  exhibited  by  Elmendorf  Farm  of 
Kentucky,  was  sold  for  $500  to  D.  V.  Perrine  of  Idaho.  In  1916 
T.  F.  Jones  of  Iowa  paid  George  McKerrow  of  Wisconsin  $500 
for  a  half  interest  in  the  ram  Senator  Bibby.  On  January  14,  1919, 
A.  T.  Jones  and  Sons  of  Iowa  broke  American  Shropshire  price 
records  in  the  dispersal  sale  of  their  herd,  142  head  (of  which  137 
were  ewes)  bringing  $17,475.  One  ram  brought  $550  and  one 
ewe  $500.  Twenty  daughters  of  the  ram  Senator  Bibby  brought 
an  average  of  $171  per  head. 

The  distribution  of  the  Shropshire  is  world-wide ;  no  other 
mutton  breed  has  approached  it  in  universal  popularity.  From 
England  these  sheep  have  been  exported  to  many  different  coun- 
tries. In  1907,  according  to  Alfred  Mansell,1  secretary  of  the 
English  Shropshire  Society,  1427  Shropshires  were  exported  to 
the  United  States,  Canada,  and  Newfoundland  ;  569  to  South 
America,  including  Argentina,  Uruguay,  Brazil,  Chile,  Peru ; 

1  Live  Stock  Jouinal  Almanac,  London,  1917. 


564  SHEEP 

212  to  Australia,  Tasmania,  and  New  Zealand;  45  to  South 
Africa,  Algiers,  Algoa  Bay  ;  61  to  Russia,  Germany,  France, 
Spain,  Denmark,  Sweden,  Hungary,  Jamaica,  Finland,  Greece, 
Portugal,  a  total  of  2314  head.  Since  1914  the  number  exported 
has  greatly  diminished,  but  368  head  were  shipped  to  different 
countries  in  1916.  Shropshires  are  popular  in  England,  especially 
in  the  county  of  its  nativity,  in  Australasia,  Canada,  and  the  United 
States.  In  1908  it  was  reported  by  J.  B.  Spencer1  that  of  19, 54 5 
head  of  pure-bred  sheep  in  Canada  6000  were  Shropshires,  lead- 
ing all  other  breeds  but  the  Leicester.  In  the  United  States, 
where  this  is  the  favorite  mutton  breed,  they  are  found  from  the 


FIG.  261.    Shropshire  ewes  on  pasture  at  Corston,  Cupar- Angus,  Scotland.    From 
a  photograph  by  the  author  in  1914 

Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  and  from  the  northern  to  the  southern 
boundaries.  However,  the  breed  is  most  abundant  in  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and 
Iowa.  This  wide  distribution  gives  evidence  of  the  adaptability 
of  the  breed.  The  ideal  conditions  are  found  in  a  country  with 
rolling  surface,  well  grassed,  and  not  too  hot  and  dry.  The  great 
Shropshire  shows  in  the  United  States  are  at  the  International 
Live-Stock  Exposition  and  the  state  fairs  of  Ohio,  New  York, 
Indiana,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  Illinois. 

The  official  promotion  of  Shropshire  sheep  has  been  in  very 
efficient  hands.  In  1882  the  English  Shropshire  Society  was 
established,  and  the  first  volume  of  its  flock  book  published  in 

1 "  Sheep  Husbandry  in  Canada,"  Bulletin  12,  Dominion  of  Canada  Department 
of  Agriculture,  1908. 


THE  SHROPSHIRE  565 

1884.  This  society  up  to  1918  had  published  thirty-six  flock  books 
and  registered  a  large  number  of  sheep.  The  American  Shrop- 
shire Sheep  Association  was  organized  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  in 
February,  1884,  and  has  made  a  remarkable  record.  As  early  as 
1893  it  had  a  membership  of  one  thousand,  since  which  time  it 
has  become  the  largest  sheep  association  in  the  world.  Its  first 
flock  book  was  published  in  1889,  and  the  association  has  pub- 
lished thirty  volumes  up  to  1919,  registering  436,248  sheep. 
A  national  Shropshire  sheep  association  was  organized  in  1900 
and  published  one  flock  book  in  1902,  but  none  since.  Flock- 
book  societies  are  maintained  in  Australia  and  Tasmania.  This 
breed  is  also  promoted  by  a  number  of  state  Shropshire  associa- 
tions. The  Ohio  Shropshire  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  or- 
ganized in  January,  1892,  at  Columbus,  and  the  New  York  State 
Shropshire  Breeders'  Association  about  1891. 


CHAPTER  L 

THE  OXFORD  DOWN 

The  native  home  of  the  Oxford  Down  sheep  is  in  the  county 
of  Oxford  in  south-central  England,  the  southern  boundary  of 
which  is  some  sixty  miles  from  the  sea.  Oxford  contains  about 
750  square  miles,  and  the  city  of  Oxford,  the  county  seat,  where 
the  famous  Oxford  University  is  located,  has  a  population  of  ap- 
proximately 200,000.  It  is  a  fine  agricultural  county,  with  much 
fertile  soil,  where  cereals,  roots,  and  grasses  especially  thrive,  and 
sheep  do  well. 

The  origin  of  the  Oxford  Down  sheep  is  comparatively  recent. 
About  1833  Mr.  Samuel  Druce  of  Eynsham,  Messrs.  William 
Gillett  of  Southleigh  and  Blake  of  Stanton  Harcourt,  all  in 
Oxfordshire,  and  Mr.  Twynham  in  Hampshire  began  to  develop 
a  new  breed,  though  Mr.  Druce  was  the  leader  in  the  movement. 
In  1859  Mr.  Druce  wrote  to  Mr.  Pusey1: 

The  foundation  of  this  class  of  sheep  was  begun  about  the  year  1833,  by 
using  a  well-made  and  neat  Cots'wold  ram  with  Hampshire  Down  ewes.  At 
the  same  period  several  breeders  of  sheep  in  this  neighborhood  also  tried  the 
experiment;  consequently  there  has  always  been  an  opportunity  of  getting 
fresh  blood  by  selecting  sheep  which  suited  different  flocks  and  thereby  main- 
taining the  uniform  character  which  is  now  established. 

Although  Twynham  may  perhaps  have  a  claim  to  priority  in 
crossing  the  Hampshire  Down  ewe  with  the  Cotswold  ram,  writes 
Spooner,2  yet  from  various  causes,  probably  because  the  Hampshire 
hills  were  scarcely  adapted  for  such  large  sheep,  they  failed  to 
establish  themselves  in  this  locality.  Druce  and  Gillett  also  used 
Southdowns  to  some  extent  in  the  early  days  of  their  crossbreeding. 
In  establishing  this  cross  Mr.  Druce  wrote  in  1853  that  he  found 
no  difficulty  in  keeping  the  form  and  size  of  the  animal  as  it  should 
be,  and  the  wool  of  a  valuable  quality  and  not  deficient  in  quantity. 

1  Journal  of  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  Vol.  XX,  p.  309. 

2  Ibid.  p.  309. 

566 


THE  OXFORD  DOWN 


567 


He  also  maintained  that  the  good  qualities  could  be  better  secured 
by  using  crossbred  animals  on  both  sides  than  by  using  the  first 
cross.  Crossing  was  undoubtedly  continued  for  many  years,  with 
the  view  of  securing  a  sheep  better  suited  to  light  farm  land  and 
producing  superior  mutton  and  a  heavier  fleece  than  that  yielded 
by  the  pure-bred.  "  Mr.  C.  S.  Read,"  says  Wrightson,  "  tells  us 


FIG.  262.  An  Oxford  ram  imported  in  1900  by  George  McKerrow  &  Sons  of 
Wisconsin,  a  first-prize  winner  at  six  state  fairs  that  year  and  five  times  sweep- 
stakes ram.  This  ram  is  blacker  and  barer  of  face  than  with  the  present-day 
Oxford  Down.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

that  the  (flock)  owner  formerly  divided  his  flock  into  three  parts, 
putting  a  half-bred  ram  to  the  ewes  that  were  about  right  —  a 
Cotswold  to  the  small  ones  and  a  Down  to  the  coarser  sheep." 

It  is  said  that  the  breed  has  "  been  kept  distinct  from  either 
parent  strain"  since  about  1854.  At  this  time  the  breed,  then 
known  as  New  Oxfordshire,  was  coming  into  high  favor.  In 
1857  the  name  "Oxford  Down"  was  adopted.  In  1859,  in  com- 
ments in  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Report  on  the  sheep  at 
English  shows,  it  is  stated  that  some  excellent  sheep  of  this  breed 


568  SHEEP 

have  been  shown  at  the  various  meetings,  but  their  career  has 
been  most  noticed  in  the  yard  of  the  Smithfield  Club  Show, 
where  Oxford  Down  fat  wethers  "  again  and  again  astonished  the 
public."  Oxford  Downs  were  first  given  a  class  at  the  Royal  Show 
in  1862  at  Battersea,  and  from  this  time  on,  for  some  years,  the 
lack  of  uniformity  in  breed  character  and  type  caused  consider- 
able unfavorable  comment  by  the  judges,  which  resulted  in  marked 
improvements  into  a  more  fixed  type. 

The  introduction  of  Oxford  Down  sheep  to  America  first  occurred 
in  1846;  when  "  New  Oxford  or  Cotswold  crossbred  sheep  "  were 
imported  to  the  United  States  by  Clayton  Reybold  of  Delaware. 
In  1853  W.  C.  Rives,  then  in  England,  sent  to  his  home  in 
Virginia  I  ram  and  5  ewes.  In  September,  1853,  R.  S.  Fay  of 
Lynn,  Massachusetts,  imported  a  ram  and  10  ewes.  The  Ohio 
Cultivator  of  August  15,  1853,  reports  that  Messrs.  Baldwin 
and  Boardman  of  Columbiana  County,  Ohio,  sold  Oxfordshire 
bucks  and  Southdown  bucks  —  20  head  for  $800.  Late  in  1853 
J.  T.  Andrew  of  West  Cornwall,  Connecticut,  established  a  flock 
which  became  famous,  as  did  also  that  of  Mr.  Fay.  Lawrence  Smith 
of  Middlefield,  Massachusetts,  must  have  established  a  flock  about 
this  time,  or  even  before,  for  in  1860  Charles  L.  Flint  states  1  that 
Mr.  Smith  "  has  bred  them  for  over  eight  years."  Smith  has  also 
been  credited  with  buying  27  head  in  1857  from  J.  T.  Andrew, 
who  also  sold  a  flock  to  C.  L.  Whiting  of  Granville,  Ohio.  This 
breed  seems  to  have  attracted  considerable  attention,  and  even  as 
early  as  1859  a  flock  was  owned  in  Texas  by  Colonel  C.  G.  Forshay, 
who  had  purchased  from  J.  T.  Andrew.  The  Civil  War  caused  a 
break  in  Oxford  Down  interests,  and  not  until  years  afterward  did 
this  breed  again  come  into  prominence.  Along  in  the  nineties 
importations  again  became  active,  and  for  many  years  considerable 
numbers  of  Oxfords  were  brought  to  America,  W.  A.  Shafor  of 
Ohio,  R.  J.  Stone  of  Illinois,  George  McKerrow  of  Wisconsin, 
and  Robert  Miller  of  Ontario,  Canada,  being  prominent  in  this 
work.  In  recent  years  Oxfords  have  not  been  brought  to  the 
United  States  in  important  numbers. 

Characteristics  of  Oxford  Down  sheep.  This  breed,  at  a  super- 
ficial glance,  closely  resembles  the  Shropshire.  It  is  hornless,  has 

1  Eighth  Annual  Report  Secretary  Massachusetts  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 


THE  OXFORD  DOWN 


569 


a  dark  brown  face  and  legs,  is  wooled  over  the  forehead,  and  is 
a  typical  mutton  sheep.  However,  under  average  conditions  the 
Oxford  Down  is  lighter  brown  than  the  Shropshire,  is  not  so 
heavily  wooled  over  the  head,  though  with  longer,  looser  forelock, 
has  a  larger  frame  and  more  scale,  with  a  longer,  more  open 
fleece.  In  early  days  the  Oxford  face  was  speckled  or  mottled 
brown  and  white  or  gray,  and  the  fleece  was  rather  long  and  open, 
quite  suggestive  of  the  long-wool  type,  as  might  he  expected,  con- 
sidering the  Cotswold  blood  used.  The  modern  Oxford,  however, 
has  been  bred  to  be 
uniformly  brown  in 
face,  though  the  Amer- 
ican standard  calls  for 
an  even  dark  gray  or 
brown  face  with  or 
without  a  gray  spot  on 
the  lower  part  of  the 
nose,  and  the  fleece 
has  been  bred  shorter 
and  more  compact. 
The  head  of  the  Ox- 
ford is  rarely  wooled 
much  below  the  fore- 

i,      j        j  ^u    j     i  FlG-  263-    A  reserve  Oxford  Down  stud  ram  in  the 

head,andthedarkgray     flock  of\he  late  John  Bryan?  South  Leigh>  England 

Or  brown  ears  tend  to  From  photograph  by  the  author 

be  somewhat  long  and 

thin  "and  free  of  wool.  As  a  rule  Oxfords  show  the  distinctive 
mutton  form,  with  a  strong  breadth  of  back  and  excellent  leg 
of  mutton.  The  skin  of  the  Oxford  Down,  like  the  Shropshire, 
is  frequently  bluish  tinted,  lacking  the  pink,  bright  cherry  color 
most  admired.  The  twentieth-century  Oxford  Down  is  a  sheep 
of  much  merit,  but  lacks  the  refinement  of  Southdown  or  Shrop- 
shire, as  expressed  in  the  grosser  size  and  quality  of  bone 
and  fleece.  An  interesting  comparison  of  the  Oxford  and  Shrop- 
shire by  John  Wrightson1  of  England,  who  was  a  keen  ob- 
server of  sheep  and  lived  close  to  their  native  home,  is  well 
worth  quoting  here  : 

1  Sheep :  Breeds  and  Management,  p.  70.    London,  1895. 


5/0  SHEEP 

As  the  remark  has  been  made  by  a  practical  man  that  the  Oxfordshire  and 
Shropshire  sheep  are  so  alike  that  when  classed  together  at  earlier  meetings 
of  the  Royal,  "many  considered  them  one  kind  of  sheep,"  I  will  point  out  the 
characteristic  difference  which  close  inspection  will  reveal.  The  Oxfordshire 
head  is  longer,  and  the  profile  is  bolder  and  slightly  more  Roman  and  fine ; 
the  Oxfordshire  ear  is  long  and  thin,  whereas  the  Shropshire  has  a  shorter 
and  rounder  ear.  The  Oxford  carries  himself  a  little  more  gaily  and  sprightly, 
and  his  wool  is  rather  longer  and  looser  than  the  Shropshire.  The  wool  on  the 
head  of  the  Oxford  is  longer,  and  more  of  the  flowing  nature  of  a  fore  lock. 
That  of  the  Shropshire  sheep  is  closer,  fitting  like  a  continuous  cap  or  helmet. 

The  size  of  the  Oxford  Down  places  it  in  the  first  rank.  Rams 
have  been  shown  that  weighed  above  400  pounds,  and  275  pounds 
for  the  mature  male  is  a  weight  easily  attained.  Mature  ewes 
should  weigh  close  to  200  pounds  or  more.  In  a  statement  in 
the  Breeders'  Gazette  in  1889,  on  Oxford  weights,  Mr.  George 
McKerrow,  a  prominent  breeder,  gave  the  following  figures : 
2  rams  two  years  old  averaged  303!  pounds  each  ;  4  yearling 
rams  averaged  203  pounds  each ;  4  aged  ewes  averaged  2 1 5 
pounds  each;  5  yearling  ewes  177  pounds  each;  and  8  March 
and  April  lambs,  about  September  I ,  averaged  1 1 8  pounds  each. 
These  were  not  fat  sheep.  In  the  American  Sheep  Breeder  an 
Ohio  man  writes  that  in  September,  1890,  his  ewes  from  one  to 
five  years  old  averaged  193  pounds  and  his  rams  325  pounds. 
The  standard  of  excellence  places  the  weights  of  mature  rams  at 
250  to  350  pounds  and  ewes  at  180  to  275  pounds.  Coffey  places 
the  weights  at  275  to  300  pounds  for  rams  in  breeding  condition 
and  ewes  at  200  pounds  or  more. 

The  Oxford  Down  as  a  feeder  ranks  deservedly  high.  Iteing 
quiet  of  temperament  and  of  considerable  size,  the  breed  easily 
thrives  under  conditions  of  restraint  and  fattens  rapidly  to  large 
size.  In  the  Iowa  fattening  wether-lamb  test  the  Oxfords  in  one 
trial  gained  a  daily  average  of  .52  pound  and  in  a  second  trial 
.40  pound,  requiring  in  the  first  trial  740  and  in  the  second 
1031  pounds  of  dry  matter  for  each  100  pounds  of  gain.  The 
Oxford  carcasses  did  not  dress  out  as  well  as  most  of  the  other 
breeds,  those  in  the  first  trial  rating  55.2  per  cent  and  in  the 
second  50.08,  and  bringing  $4.50  per  hundredweight  live  weight 
in  the  first  trial  and  $5.40  in  the  second.  The  Iowa  records 
give  the  Oxford  about  an  average  rating  in  feeding  results.  In 


THE  OXFORD  DOWN 


571 


the  Smithfield  Club  Shows  from  1895  to  1912  fifty-three  Oxford 
wethers  showed  a  daily  gain  of  .44  pound,  and  fifty-six  wether 
lambs  .66  pound  per  day,  surpassing  both  Southdown  and 
Shropshire.  The  general  evidence  shows  the  Oxford  to  be  a 
feeder  that  will  do  well  for  considerable  periods  and  such  as  the 
market  readily  purchases.  It  is  as  feeders  that  these  sheep  have 
met  with  the  greatest  favor  in  the  corn  belt  and  in  Canada. 

The  Oxford  Down  crossbred  or  grade  has  long  met  with  favor,  and 
in  the  United  States  more  especially  in  the  fertile  upper  Mississippi 
Valley.  From  the  first 
this  merit  of  the  Ox- 
ford was  extolled ;  it 
is  a  crossbred  that 
feeds  rapidly  to  advan- 
tage on  a  variety  of 
lands.  The  large  size 
and  heavy-shearing 
quality  of  this  breed 
have  attracted  our 
farmers,  so  that  pure- 
bred rams  are  in  de- 
mand to  grade  up 
flocks  with  Merino  or 
common  ewes.  This 
produces  offspring  of 
excellent  mutton  qual- 
ities, shearing  large  fleeces  and  meeting  with  popular  favor.  This 
demand  is  not  restricted  to  America.  The  English  writers  state 
that  Oxford  rams  have  been  in  special  favor  in  Germany  for 
crossing  on  Merino  ewes,  and  that  this  use  of  them  has  been 
quite  extensive.  In  Scotland  the  use  of  Oxford  rams  on  Cheviot 
ewes  or  crossbred  ewes  is  regarded  with  favor.  At  the  Scotch 
National  Fat-Stock  Show  Oxford  crossbreds  have  made  most 
excellent  records.  In  1908  D.  W.  Black  of  Ohio  won  the  grand 
championship  on  a  carload  of  mutton  lambs  with  grade  Oxford 
Downs  averaging  113  pounds  —  a  very  choice,  uniform  lot,  sired 
by  Oxford  Down  rams  and  out  of  grade  Western  Merino  ewes  of 
the  smooth,  muttony  sort  that  make  the  best  of  mothers. 


FIG.  264.    The  champion  Oxford  Down  ewe  at  the 

Ohio  State  Fair,  1918.    Bred  and  exhibited  by  J.  C. 

Williamson  &  Son,  Xenia,  Ohio.    From  photograph 

by  the  author 


572  .  SHEEP 

The  prolific  quality  of  the  Oxford  Down  has  long  caused  favor- 
able comment  among  the  breeders  of  this  class.  Twins  are  fairly 
frequent,  and  the  ewes  usually  make  good  mothers  and  furnish 
ample  milk  to  the  lambs.  The  ewes,  however,  do  not  rank  with 
the  Shropshire  in  producing  twins.  Craig  states l : 

One  of  the  leading  agricultural  societies  of  the  country  has  offered  prizes 
to  the  shepherd  who  shall  rear  up  to  the  first  of  May  the  greatest  number  of 
lambs  from  the  ewes  put  to  the  ram.  In  1886  the  winner  reared  198  lambs 
from  130  ewes,  slightly  better  than  one  and  one-half  lamb  from  each  ewe  in 
the  flock  previous  to  September.  The  next  year  in  the  same  flock,  132  ewes 
gave  a  return  of  2 1 3  lambs  reared  by  the  first  of  May. 

Approximately  a  lamb  and  a  half  to  a  ewe  may  be  estimated  for 
carefully  selected  ewes. 

The  Oxford  Down  as  a  wool  producer  is  in  special  favor  to-day. 
Shearing  a  heavy  fleece  of  quarter-blood  combing  wool,  three  to 
four  inches  long,  which  tends  to  coarseness  and  length  of  staple, 
it  satisfies  the  demand  of  the  farmer  for  weight.  There  is  consid- 
erable variation,  however,  in  the  quality  of  the  Oxford  wool,  those 
sheep  with  open  fleeces  having  much  coarser  and  longer  staple 
than  those  of  a  more  compact  sort.  In  1860  Lawrence  Smith  of 
Massachusetts  stated  that  his  flock  of  store  and  breeding  ewes 
usually  sheared  from  5  to  7  pounds,  with  his  rams'  fleeces  some- 
times weighing  10  pounds.  Thirty  years  later  an  Ohio  breeder 
wrote  that  his  Oxford  Down  flock  sheared  an  average  that  year 
of  ii  pounds  14  ounces  per  head.  In  the  Iowa  breed  test  the 
Oxford  wether  lambs  in  one  trial  sheared  1 1  pounds  and  in  another 
8  pounds,  the  fleeces  bringing  $1.44  and  $1.16  respectively, 
materially  excelling  all  other  middle-wool  breeds.  This  is  in  fact 
the  heaviest  shearing  of  any  of  the  Down  breeds,  and  instances 
are  reported  of  fleeces  weighing  as  much  as  20  pounds.  A 
weight  of  10  to  12  pounds  unwashed  wool  may  be  expected  in 
the  case  of  well-bred  sheep  given  proper  care. 

The  prices  paid  for  Oxford  Down  sheep  have  not  ranged  very 
high.  In  1860  R.  S.  Fay  had.  a  sale  at  Lynn,  Massachusetts, 
when  the  prices  ranged  from  $7.50  to  $51  a  head.  In  1876 
T.  S.  Cooper  of  Pennsylvania  showed  the  ram  Freeland  at  the 

1  John  A-  Craig,  Sheep  Farming  in  North  America  (1913),  p.  124. 


THE  OXFORD  DOWN 


573 


Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadelphia,  a  famous  prize  winner 
there  and  in  England,  which  he  hired  of  A.  F.  M.  Druce  of 
England  for  $425.  The  annual  Oxford  Ram  Fair  in  England 
shows  something  of  prices  current  for  this  breed.  In  1900  at  this 
sale  the  highest  price  paid  was  42  guineas  ($210)  for  a  yearling 
ram,  and  fifty  yearlings  from  the  flock  of  Worley  &  Son  averaged 
slightly  over  $50  per  head.  In  1903  sixty  rams  sold  by  George 
Adams  averaged  $40.  The  same  year,  at  the  sale  of  J.  T.  Hobbs, 
the  average  was  in  excess  of  $75  per  head,  one  ram  bringing 
$290.  At  the  1916  ram  sale  at  Oxford  a  lamb  consigned  by 
R.  W.  Hobbs  and  Son  sold  for  $360,  and  thirty  lambs  averaged 


FIG.  265.   Oxfords  on  pasture  on  the  farm  of  George  Adams,  Faringdon,  England. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

about  $110  a  head.  In  the  United  States,  Oxford  Downs  have 
not  come  under  the  high-priced  classification,  and  the  better-class 
sheep  change  hands  at  reasonable  and  modest  values. 

The  distribution  of  the  Oxford  Down  is  very  widespread. 
Originally  confined  to  Oxfordshire,  it  is  now  found  in  about  a 
score  of  counties  in  England,  as  well  as  in  Scotland,  Wales,  and 
Ireland.  So  greatly  has  the  breed  grown  in  favor  in  recent  years 
that  it  has  become  very  widely  distributed,  flocks  now  existing  in 
Germany,  France,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  Russia,  Brazil,  Argentina, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  Canada,  the  United  States,  and  else- 
where. In  this  country  there  are  Oxfords  in  many  states,  although 
Illinois,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Wisconsin,  and  New  York  have  noted 
flocks,  as  well  as  Ontario,  Canada,  where  the  breed  has  long  met 
with  favor.  In  1908  it  was  estimated  that  there  were  four  thousand 
head  of  pure-bred  Oxfords  in  Canada,  and  to-day  it  may  be  fairly 


574  SHEEP 

assumed  that  most  of  the  choice  flocks  of  the  breed  in  America 
are  located  in  Ontario.  While  essentially  a  type  of  sheep  suited 
for  a  fertile,  arable,  or  well-grassed  country,  level  or  slightly 
rolling,  it  has  seemed  to  adapt  itself  to  a  considerable  range  of 
conditions.  Within  a  comparatively  few  years  Oxford  rams  have 
grown  in  favor  on  the  range  west  of  the  Missouri.  But  as  a  breed 
the  Oxford  is  not  suited  to  a  short-grass  country.. 

The  promotion  of  Oxford  Down  sheep  was  first  attempted  in 
an  official  way  by  the  American  Oxford  Down  Sheep  Record 
Association,  which  was  organized  in  1882  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
This  association  published  its  first  flock  book  in  1883  and  has 
since  then,  up  to  1919,  issued  fourteen  volumes,  including  the 
registration  of  about  83,500  sheep.  In  1888  the  Oxford  Down 
Sheep  Breeders'  Society  was  organized  at  Oxford,  England,  and 
the  first  volume  of.  their  flock  book  appeared  in  1889,  in  which 
fifty-four  flocks  were  registered.  Since  its  organization  the  Eng- 
lish society,  up  to  1918,  has  published  thirty  flock  books  and 
registered  9270  rams,  3241  ewes,  and  358  flocks. 


CHAPTER  LI 

THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN1 

The  native  home  of  Hampshire  Down  sheep  is  in  south-central 
England,  in  the  county  of  Hampshire,  or,  as  it  is  commonly 
known  in  that  country,  Hants.  The  county,  including  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  contains  1626  square  miles,  and  its  south  boundary  is 
along  the  English  Channel.  Winchester  is  the  county  seat,  while 
Portsmouth  and  Southampton  are  large  and  important  maritime 
cities  of  Great  Britain.  Like  all  of  south  England,  the  climate 
is  very  temperate  the  year  round ;  in  fact,  the  Isle  of  Wight  is 
regarded  as  possessing  the  mildest  climate  on  the  entire  coast. 
The  land  is  rolling,  being  crossed  by  the  North  and  South 
Downs.  The  soil  is  of  a  chalky  character,  none  too  fertile,  but 
producing  fair  crops  of  the  small  cereals  and  roots  and  fine  grass 
for  sheep  pasture. 

The  origin  of  the  Hampshire  Down  sheep  traces  back  to  at 
least  two  sources,  crossed  with  improved  stock.  In  the  counties 
of  Hampshire  and  Wiltshire  and  also  to  some  extent  in  other 
near-by  counties  were  large,  slow-maturing,  white-faced,  narrow- 
backed,  fine-fleeced  sheep  with  horns,  known  as  Wiltshires.  The 
horns  turned  back  behind  the  ears  and  about  the  cheeks,  from 
which  peculiarity  they  were  known  as  "  crooks."  There  were 
no  other  sheep  like  them  in  England,  and  by  1837,  as  a  result 
of  crossing,  they  had  practically  disappeared.  In  the  county  of 
Berks  there  was  also  another  old  type  with  horns,  strong  and 
vigorous,  with  dark  face  and  legs.  Early  in  the  last  century  these 
two  types  were  crossed  again  and  again  with  the  Southdown. 
About  1835  the  sheep  of  Hampshire  and  Wiltshire  generally 
showed  Southdown  type  and  character,  and  they  were  exhibited 
at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show  at  Oxford  in  1840  as 

1  In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  breed  of  swine  is  also  named  Hampshire,  the  author 
feels  that  the  word  "  Down  "  may  well  be  used  as  a  part  of  the  name  as  applied 
to  the  breed  of  sheep.  Hampshire  Down  is  also  the  official  title  used  to-day 
in  England. 

575 


5/6 


SHEEP 


West  Country  Down  sheep,  which  name  they  long  retained. 
From  this  stock  was  evolved  the  present  type,  known  as 
Hampshire  Down. 

The  early  improvement  of  the  Hampshire  Down  is  largely  due 
to  Mr.  William  Humphrey  of  Oak  Ash,  Newbury,  Hampshire, 
and  Mr.  James  Rawlence  of  Bulbridge,  Wilton,  the  same  county. 
Mr.  Humphrey,  however,  is  the  most  important  of  these,  being 


FIG.  266.    Thatched  cottages  in  the  village  of  Downton,  near  Salisbury,  England, 
in  the  Hampshire  Down  country.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

essentially  the  great  Hampshire  Down  improver,  with  Mr.  Rawlence 
a  most  important  later  factor.  About  1834  Humphrey  began 
gathering  up  as  choice  a  flock  as  possible  of  West  Country  Down 
ewes,  breeding  to  them  rams  of  the  same  class.  In  1842  he 
became  impressed  with  the  improved  breeds  at  the  royal  show 
at  Oxford,  notably  the  Cotswolds,  and  believed  that  his  sheep 
might  be  improved  by  crossing.  Consequently  he  obtained  a 
choice  Southdown  ram  from  Jonas  Webb  and  crossed  on  his 
ewes  with  much  success.  Later  he  obtained  other  rams,  three 
in  all,  the  only  outside  ones  ever  used  in  his  flock.  At  first 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN 


577 


he  suffered  loss  in  size,  but  he  culled  out  the  finer-boned,  smaller 
ewes  and  bred  only  the  larger,  more  robust  ones,  using  choice 
crossbred  rams  of  his  own  breeding.  Mr.  Humphrey  was  very 
particular  about  his  sires  and  the  ewes  to  which  they  were  bred, 
selling  all  undesirable  animals  to  the  butcher.  According  to  his 
old  shepherd,  Abraham  Hopkins,1  he  never  bought  ewes  but 
once,  on  which  occasion  he  secured  25  from  a  lot  of  100; 


FIG.  267.    Hampshire  Down  rams  owned  at  Chilmark  Farms,  New  York.    From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  C.  V.  Phelps,  superintendent 

Rawlence  secured  25  also,  and  a  neighbor  100.  In  narrating  to 
Professor  Wrightson  the  method  of  building  up  the  breeding 
flock,  Hopkins  said : 

Every  lamb  was  marked  as  it  fell,  and  those  which  showed  any  breachiness 
or  coarseness  were  notched  at  the  top  of  the  ear ;  and  no  matter  how  well  these 
lambs  turned  out,  they  were  castrated  and  went  to  the  butcher.  Every  lamb, 
in  fact,  which  was  not  let  for  breeding  was  fattened  off,  and  no  ewes  were  ever 
sold.  Only  good  ewes  were  kept  for  breeding,  and  all  the  rest  were  sold  to 
butchers.  The  ewes  which  were  thought  good  enough  for  the  flock  were  bred 
from  until  they  were  worn  out.  One  favorite  was  kept  till  she  was  fourteen 

1  John  Wrightson,  Sheep  :  Breeds  and  Management.    London,  1895. 


578  SHEEP 

years  old,  and  her  last  lamb  was  Oliver  Twist.  This  ewe  had  no  udder  for  the 
last  four  years  of  her  life,  and  Oliver  Twist  was  given  to  another  ewe.  This 
ram  was  first  in  his  class  at  Leeds  and  Battersea. 

Humphrey  died  in  1868,  when  his  flock,  one  of  very  superior 
merit,  was  dispersed.  Mr.  James  Rawlence  of  Bulbridge  bred 
rather  differently,  beginning  with  the  Sussex  breed,  crossing  the 
larger  and  more  robust  ewes  with  the  West  Country  Down  or 
Hampshire  Down  rams.  He  frequently  used  rams  of  Mr.  Hum- 
phrey's breeding,  and  later  bought  Hampshire  Down  ewes  to 
which  he  bred  rams  of  his  own  stock.  By  using  new  blood  grad- 
ually and  practicing  careful  selection,  Mr.  Rawlence  developed  a 
flock  "of  the  highest  merit,"  a  distinct  improvement  over  the  type 
bred  by  Humphrey.  Wrightson,  himself  a  Hampshire  Down 
breeder,  states  that  Mr.  Rawlence  "  is  regarded  by  many  as  the 
father  of  the  breed  "  and  further  notes  that  "  we  may  look  on 
the  Bulbridge  flock  as  fairly  representing  the  Hampshire  Down 
as  we  see  him  at  the  present  time"  (1895). 

The  introduction  of  Hampshire  Down  sheep  to  America  is  said 
to  have  occurred  in  1855,  when  Thomas  Messenger  of  Clarence 
Hall,  Great  Neck,  Long  Island,  New  York,  imported  a  ram  and 
five  ewes  bred  by  Francis  Budd  of  Hampshire.  These  were  ex- 
hibited in  the  United  States  and  won  prizes  at  various  shows, 
and  Henry  S.  Randall  states1  that  they  found  a  rapid  sale  in 
the  South  prior  to  the  Civil  War.  But  little  was  done,  however, 
prior  to  1880,  to  introduce  more  Hampshires.  In  1881  Henry 
Metcalf  of  Canandaigua,  New  York,  imported  the  ram  Shepherd's 
Pride  2d.  In  May,  1887,  E.  F.  Bowditch  of  Framingham,  Massa- 
chusetts, made  an  importation  from  Thomas  Chick  of  Stratton, 
Dorsetshire,  England,  and  by  1892  Mr.  Bowditch  had  a  flock  of 
seven  hundred  head,  the  largest  number  of  sheep  owned  by  one 
man  in  the  state.  About  1883  the  breed  found  its  way  into  Mich- 
igan, and  in  1885  became  known  in  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  and  else- 
where. In  recent  years  the  Hampshire  Downs  have  grown  much 
in  popularity,  and  many  sheep  have  been  imported  to  America. 

Characteristics  of  the  Hampshire  Down.  The  head  is  very  dark 
brown  or  almost  black  in  color,  is  rather  large,  and  frequently  has 

1  The  Practical  Shepherd  (1868),  p.  61. 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN 


579 


a  pronounced  Roman  nose.  The  lips  and  nostrils  are  black.  The 
ears  are  moderately  long,  large,  and  thin,  of  a  dark  mouse  color 
behind,  and  are  more  pointed  than  with  Shropshire  or  Southdown. 
In  the  best  type  the  ears  lean  outward  slightly.  The  neck  tends. 
to  be  a  bit  long,  lacking  the  shortness  of  the  Southdown  ;  yet 
Wrightson,  the  best  British  authority  on  this  breed,  states  that  it 
is  thick  and  muscular  and  is  considered  to  be  a  point  of  special 
excellence  and  importance.  He  further  states  that  the  shoulder  tops 
are  wide  and  that  the  girth  behind  the  shoulders  and  of  the  entire 
fore  end  must  be  well 
marked  to  secure  any  at- 
tention either  in  the  prize 
or  sale  ring.  This  breed 
has  been  criticized  by  Wal- 
lace, who  states  that  a  con- 
spicuous defect  in  ordinary 
specimens  is  a  falling  away 
behind  the  shoulder,  but 
this  defect  is  not  common 
in  the  improved  Hamp- 
shire Down  of  to-day.  The 
type  of  body  and  general 
carcass  is  in  common  with 
accepted  standards  for 
other  mutton  breeds.  The 
legs  are  dark  brown  in 
color,  like  the  face ;  in  fact,  the  color  is  so  deep  a  brown  that 
it  may  almost  be  regarded  as  black.  The  skin  should  be  a  bright 
pink,  but  Hampshire  Downs  frequently  have  a  bluish  or  dark  skin 
much  resembling  the  Oxford  Down.  In  further  reference  to  these 
breed  characteristics  Wrightson  makes  the  following  interesting 
comments  upon  the  sources  of  their  inheritance  : 

The  slightly  Roman  character  of  the  face  and  the  fine  wool  have  no 
doubt  partly  been  derived  from  the  old  Wiltshire  horned  sheep.  .  .  .  The 
quality  of  the  flesh  and  the  color  have  come  through  the  Southdown,  but 
the  color  has  been  deepened  by  selection.  The  length  of  ear  has  probably 
been  derived  from  an  alliance  with  the  Cotswold. 


FIG.  268.  A  two-year-old  Hampshire  Down 
ewe,  first  and  champion  at  seven  American 
fairs  in  1904.  Owned  and  exhibited  by  Chil- 
mark  Farms,  New  York.  From  photograph,  by 
courtesy  of  Charles  V.  Phelps,  superintendent 


58o 


SHEEP 


The  size  of  the  Hampshire  Down  is  large,  being  second  only  to 
the  Oxford  Down,  although  Wrightson  classes  the  former  as  the 
largest  of  the  middle- wool  breeds.  J.  H.  Taft  of  Michigan  made 
an  importation  of  ewes  which  in  fair  flesh  averaged  from  175  to 
200  pounds,  while  lambs  of  his  own  raising  at  about  ten  months  old 
weighed  an  average  of  1 13|  pounds.  James  Wood  of  New  York, 
once  a  leading  American  authority  on  the  breed,  gave  300  pounds 
for  weight  of  the  mature  ram  and  something  over  200  pounds 
for  the  ewes.  Shaw  and  Heller  place  the  weight  of  mature  rams 


FIG.  269.    Hampshire  Downs  on  pasture,  the  Butterfield  Ranch,  Weiser,  Idaho. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

at  225  to  275  pounds  and  ewes  at  from  175  to  200  pounds, 
and  state  that  it  is,  with  the  possible  exception  of  the  Oxford  Down, 
the  largest  of  the  Down  breeds  and  excelled  in  size  only  by  the 
Lincoln  and  Cotswold  among  the  long  wools.  Coffey  gives  the 
weight  of  rams  in  breeding  condition  at  250  to  300  pounds  and  ewes 
at  1 80  to  225  pounds.  The^standard  of  excellence  of  the  breed 
makes  no  reference  to  size  or  weight. 

The  Hampshire  Down  as  a  mutton  sheep  ranks  high.  It  has 
long  been  a  popular  breed  in  the  English  mutton,  market  on 
account  of  its  rapid  growth  under  intensive  feeding.  In  Hamp- 
shire these  sheep  are  generally  hurdled  on  rape,  kale,  vetches,  or 
roots,  and  are  pushed  faster  than  any  other  breed  —  lambs  making 
gains  of  about  a  pound  a  day  in  many  instances.  They  seem  to 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN 


58l 


have  a  great  capacity  for  assimilating  food  to  advantage.  At  the 
Smithfield  Fat-Stock  Show  in  England,  Hampshire  Downs  have 
held  a  leading  place  among  the  best  killers  and  have  demonstrated 
daily  gains  rarely  surpassed.  In  giving  weights  and  gains  of  fat 
wethers  at  this  show,  from  1895  to  1915  inclusive,  Henry  and 
Morrison1  show  that  78  yearling  Hampshire  Down  wethers  had 
an  average  weight  of  282  pounds  at  six  hundred  and  sixty-one 
days  of  age,  showing  an  average  daily  gain  of  .42  pound.  Year- 
ling wethers  of  the  breed  in  carcass  contests  had  a  live  weight 
of  185  pounds  and 
dressed  out  64  per 
cent  carcass.  These 
sheep,  owing  to  their 
large  size  and  heavy 
bone,  will  not  dress 
out  as  well  as  some 
of  the  lighter  breeds, 
neither  does  the  mut- 
ton rank  quite  so  high 
in  quality. 

The  Hampshire 
Down  for  early  lambs 
has  held  a  premier 
place  in  the  United 
States  for  many  years. 
They  were  first  pro- 
moted in  the  East  for 
this  special  quality,  as 

a  valuable  feature  for  the  Eastern  early-lamb  market ;  and  James 
Wood  and  J.  S.  Woodward,  both  of  New  York,  imported  many 
years  ago  for  this  special  purpose  and  became  large  early-lamb 
producers.  One  may  find  many  testimonials  in  behalf  of  the 
rapid  gains  in  weight  by  the  lambs,  and  it  is  probable  that  this 
breed  has  no  superior  for  gains  made  during  the  first  two  or  three 
months  after  birth.  Smithfield  records  compiled  by  Henry  show 
that  94  Hampshire  Down  lambs,  averaging  three  hundred  and 
nine  days  of  age,  gained  an  average  of  .67  pound  a  day  per 
1  Feeds  and  Feeding  (1915),  p-  518. 


FIG.  270.  Hampshire  Down  ram,  champion  at  the 
1918  Ohio  State  Fair.  Shown  by  the  Munroe  Stock 
Farm,  Lucas,  Ohio.  From  photograph  by  the  author 


582  SHEEP 

head,  being  equaled  by  no  other  Down  breed  but  the  Suffolk, 
which  is  credited  with  .70  pound.  The  lambs  do  not  finish  off 
for  killing  much  before  reaching  75  to  80  pounds  live  weight. 

The  Hampshire  Down  for  crossing  or  grading  is  valued  by 
lamb  producers  in  particular.  In  England  it  is  customary  to  draft 
from  the  flock  the  old  ewes  and  sell  them  at  fairs,  after  which 
Cotswold  or  light-faced  rams  are  bred  to  them.  The  result  of  the 
cross  fatten  rapidly  and,  if  kept  till  yearlings,  produce  a  large 
amount  of  mutton  and  wool.  It  is  said  that  large  numbers  of 
Hampshire  Down  rams  are  sold  into  Lincolnshire,  where  they  are 
bred  to  old  Lincoln  ewes  for  producing  fat  lambs  or  wethers.  The 
Hampshire  Down  also  crosses  well  on  the  Leicester.  The  Hamp- 
shire Down  ram  used  on  grade  Merinos  or  pure-breds  produces 
the  dark  face  and  superior  mutton  type  of  early  lamb.  This  is 
one  of  the  most  popular  crosses  in  America  for  using  Hampshire 
Down  blood.  The  demand  for  Hampshire  Down  rams  on  the 
Western  range  has  been  strong  for  some  years  on  account  of  the 
value  of  the  crossbred.  A  combination  of  pure-bred  rams  on  grade 
Delaine  Merino  or  Rambouillet  ewes  results  in  a  class  of  lambs 
eagerly  sought  in  the  market,  heavy  weighers  and  profitable  killers 
under  fair  conditions. 

The  Hampshire  Down  as  a  grazer  has  recognized  merit  in  Eng- 
land, where  flocks  are  generally  grazed  in  summer  within  hurdles, 
a  condition  to  which  they  are  well  suited.  They  graze  together, 
often  in  semicircles,  and  pasture  closely.  In  Hampshire  and 
Wiltshire  a  large  number  of  sheep  are  maintained  upon  the  land. 
Wrightson  notes  that  his  summer  flock  on  the  College  Farjn  of  six 
hundred  acres  at  Downton,  with  a  favorable  lambing  season,  con- 
sists of  from  1250  to  1300  sheep  and  lambs,  besides  a  dairy  of 
30  cows  and  young  stock,  a  very  superior  showing.  This  method  of 
feeding  has  greatly  increased  the  fertility  of  the  lands  where  they 
are  kept.  In  America  the  pure-breds  do  best  on  the  more  fertile 
lands  of  the  corn  belt,  where  feed  is  abundant ;  or  under  conditions 
in  the  Far  West,  where  alfalfa  and  grain,  rather  than  the  open 
range,  is  made  use  of.  The  Hampshire  Down  cannot  be  regarded 
as  a  class  of  sheep  equally  qualified  with  the  Merino  or  Cheviot 
to  rustle  for  its  food.  A  large,  heavy  type  of  sheep  of  this  sort  is 
naturally  better  adapted  to  arable  lands  than  to  less  fertile  areas. 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN  583 

The  fecundity  of  the  Hampshire  Down,  while  not  of  the  highest, 
is  distinctly  superior.  In  1903  the  English  association  kept  a 
lambing  record  of  37  flocks  comprising  15,482  ewes.  These 
reared  18,462  lambs,  or  119.17  per  cent,  while  only  2.21  per- 
cent of  the  lambs  dropped  were  lost.  In  a  similar  record  for 
1902  the  percentage  raised  was  116.82.  This  speaks  well  for 
the  fecundity  and  maternal  character  of  Hampshire  Down  ewes. 
The  lambs  are  usually  strong  and  lusty  at  birth  and  often  weigh 
10  pounds  or  more.  Craig  states  there  is  one  case  on  record  of  a 


FIG.  271.    Hampshire  Down  ewes  on  pasture  at  Walnut  Hall  Farms,  Donerail, 
Kentucky.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Robert  S.  Blastock,  manager 

Hampshire  Down  lamb  weighing  18  pounds  at  birth.  The  ewes 
are  rated  as  good  mothers,  have  large  udders,  are  excellent  milkers, 
and  bring  their  lambs  on  rapidly  to  heavy  weight  for  early  age. 

The  Hampshire  Down  as  a  producer  of  wool  has  only  a  very 
moderate  place  among  the  breeds.  The  wool  is  coarse  in  quality, 
grading  three-quarters  or  three-eighths  blood  combing,  has  an 
average  length  of  three  inches,  and  covers  the  body  with  just  fair 
density.  The  weight  of  a  typical  unwashed  fleece  of  twelve 
months'  growth  will  approximate  eight  pounds,  which  is  light  for 
so  large  a  sheep,  and  furnishes  just  grounds  for  criticism. 

The  prices  received  for  Hampshire  Down  sheep  in  recent  years 
have  been  undergoing  greatly  increased  value.  In  1903  Waters 
and  Rawlence  sold  at  public  sale  about  2500  head,  which  in 


584  SHEEP 

general  brought  good  prices.  At  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon's  sale  one 
ram  brought  about  $550  and  100  yearling  ewes  averaged  about 
$35  each.  At  James  Flower's  Chilmark  sale  and  ram  letting,  two 
rams  were  let  at  135  guineas  ($675)  each,  the  record  for  thirty- 
two  years  up  to  that  time,  with  several  ram  lambs  selling  for  from 
34  to  76  guineas  ($170  to  $380).  This  was  then  regarded  as 
one  of  the  memorable  sales  of  the  breed.  In  1912,  at  the  Brit- 
ford  Sheep  Fair  held  at  Salisbury,  England,  a  ram  lamb  bred  by 


FIG.  272.    Bishopstone  Northington  F82I-2564I  (imp.),  a  Hampshire  Down  ram 

sold  for  $1700  by  Walnut  Hall  Farms,  Donerail,  Kentucky.   From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  Robert  S.  Blastock,  manager 

Mr.  Flower  sold  to  J.  H.  Ismay  for  230  guineas  ($1150),  then 
the  record  price  for  the  breed.  Remarkable  prices  have  bee"n 
paid  very  recently  in  America  for  Hampshire  Downs,  especially 
at  the  ram  sales  held  at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  In  1917,  at  this 
sale,  Walnut  Hall  Farm  of  Kentucky  sold  an  imported  ram  to 
D.  F.  Detweiler  of  Idaho  for  $1500,  a  new  record  for  the  breed. 
John  Nebeker  also  paid  Walnut  Hall  Farm  $750  for  a  ram. 
Sixty-three  of  the  top  rams  of  the  breed  averaged  $196  and  425 
ewes  averaged  $72.81.  At  the  1918  ram  sale  at  Salt  Lake  City, 
Walnut  Hall  Farm  again  broke  the  record  in  selling  another  ram 
to  Mr.  Detweiler  for  $1700.  Another  was  sold  to  the  Wood  Live 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  DOWN  585 

Stock  Company  of  Idaho  for  $1050,  one  ram  went  to  the  Butter- 
field  Live  Stock  Company  at  $525,  and  nine  rams  sold  at  prices 
ranging  from  $200  to  $325.  The  Butterfield  Live  Stock  Company 
of  Idaho  sold  one  ram  for  $700  and  another  for  $425  ;  and 
H.  L.  Finch  of  Idaho  sold  one  ram  at  $750,  another  at  $700,  a 
third  at  $500,  and  twelve  rams  at  prices  ranging  from  $200  to 
$450.  Nineteen  ewes  consigned  by  Finch  averaged  $105.25  per 
head.  This  1918  Salt  Lake  sale  of  Hampshire  Downs,  all  things 
considered,  was  the  most  remarkable  sale  of  mutton  sheep  ever 
held  in  America. 

The  distribution  of  the  Hampshire  Down  is  widespread.  In 
1903,  for  example,  exports  were  made  from  England  to  the 
United  States,  Canada,  Mexico,  Argentina,  Uruguay,  Chile, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa,  Germany,  Russia,  Hungary, 
Portugal,  Jamaica,  and  elsewhere.  In  1913,  the  year  prior  to  the 
opening  of  the  World  War,  424  Hampshire  Downs  were  exported 
from  England,  166  going  to  North  America,  129  to  South 
America,  65  to  Germany,  and  the  rest  to  South  Africa,  Russia, 
and  elsewhere.  In  England  the  breed  is  found  in  a  score  of 
counties,  though  chiefly  in  Hampshire,  Wiltshire,  Dorset,  Sussex, 
Surrey,  and  vicinity,  and  is  bred  on  a  large  scale.  In  1913 
James  Harris  and  Son  of  Winchester,  England,  disposed  of  31,000 
head,  and  at  each  of  the  Salisbury,  Britford,  and  Wilton  fairs 
15,000  ewes  and  lambs  were  sold  at  auction.  Interest  in  the 
Hampshire  Down  in  the  United  States  until  within  a  few  years 
has  been  largely  restricted  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  country,  espe- 
cially New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Indiana,  but  now  the 
breed  has  a  strong  hold  in  the  Far  West,  with  large  and  superior 
flocks  in  Idaho,  Utah,  Oregon,  Washington,  and  California. 
Hampshire  Downs  have  a  comparatively  small  hold  in  Canada. 

Hampshire  Down  Sheep  associations  exist  in  England  and 
America.  The  Hampshire  Down  Sheep  Breeders'  Society  of 
England  was  organized  in  1889  and  up  to  1918  has  published 
thirty-nine  volumes  of  the  flock  book.  The  Hampshire  Down 
Sheep  Breeders'  Association  of  America  was  also  organized  in 
1889,  the  first  flock  book  being  published  in  1890.  Up  to 
1918  fifteen .  volumes  had  been  issued  and  24,633  rams  and 
57,982  ewes  recorded. 


CHAPTER  LII 

THE  DORSET  HORN 

The  native  home  of  Dorset  Horn  sheep  is  in  the  counties  of 
Dorset,  Somerset,  and  Wiltshire  in  southern  England.  Dorset, 
from  which  the  breed  is  named,  faces  the  English  Channel  on  the 
south,  with  Somerset  and  Wiltshire  in  the  interior  as  the  northern 
boundaries.  Dorset  contains  about  one  thousand  square  miles  and 
is  strictly  an  agricultural  county,  crossed  by  low-lying  Downs,  fer- 
tile, rolling  hills,  yielding  rich  harvests  of  the  cereals,  roots,  and 
grasses.  It  is  a  soil  rich  in  lime,  and  as  one  approaches  the 
high  cliffs  from  the  sea  he  is  much  impressed  with  their  chalky 
whiteness.  The  climate  is  mild  and  moist  and  well  suited  to  out- 
door life  the  year  round.  From  WTeymouth  harbor  passenger  ships 
make  regular  trips  across  the  Channel  to  Jersey  and  Guernsey. 

The  origin  of  the  Dorset  Horn  sheep  seems  to  be  from  the  old 
native  stock  of  Dorset  and  Somerset,  which,  so  far  as  we  have 
records,  possessed  horns  in  both  sexes  and  was  entirely  white. 
As  far  back  as  1749  Ellis  in  his  "Shepherd's  Guide"  describes 
the  sheep  in  this  region  as  having  "  white  faces,  white  and  short 
legs,  broad  loins,  and  fine  curled  wool."  In  1842  Professor  Low 
wrote  that  from  time  immemorial  there  had  existed  in  Dorset  a 
breed  of  sheep  with  horns  common  to  both  sexes,  having  white 
face  and  legs,  low  shoulders,  broad,  deep  loins,  long  but  not  coarse 
limbs,  black  lips  and  nostrils  (though  sometimes  flesh-colored),  and 
possessing  fine  wool.  In  the  adjoining  county  of  Somerset  was  a 
rather  larger  type  of  much  the  same  breed,  lanker  in  form,  longer 
wooled,  and  with  pink  or  flesh-colored  nose  (by  which  they  were 
known  as  "  Pink-Nosed  Somersets  "),  which  fattened  to  greater 
weight  and  had  larger  lambs  than  the  sheep  of  Dorsetshire.  Low 
further  comments  on  the  encroachment  of  the  Southdown  and 
Leicester  on  the  Dorset  territory,  stating  that  pure-bred  flocks 
were  becoming  scarce  owing  to  £he  crossing  of  these  breeds.  In 
fact,  he  stated  that  the  breed  was  gradually  diminishing  and  was 

586 


THE  DORSET  HORN 


587 


in  danger  of  being  extinguished.  In  1856  Professor  Wilson, 
another  British  authority,  writes  that  "  the  practice  of  crossing 
with  the  Southdown  is  becoming  very  general."  In  this  same 
connection  Youatt,  in  1837,  comments  on  the  use  of  Devonshire 
Knots  and  Leicesters  on  Dorsets,  but  says  the  cross  was  not  suc- 
cessful. However,  some  flocks  were  apparently  kept  free  from 
crossing,  notably  on  the  isle  of  Portland,  where  about  four  thou- 
sand sheep  of  a  small  Dorset  type  existed  in  1 840.  The  general 
improvement  of  the  breed  as  a  whole  was  secured  by  selection 


FIG.  273.   A  "  royal  winner  "  Dorset  Horn  ram,  the  property  of  H.  Mayo,  Coker's 
Frome,  Dorchester,  England.    From  an  English  engraving  published  in  1870 

on  the  part  of  various  breeders  in  the  western  part  of  Dorset, 
but  especially  by  Richard  Seymour  of  Bradpole,  who,  between 
1830  and  1840,  perhaps,  had  the  best  flock  extant.  Between 
1860  and  1885  the  breed  was  much  improved  by  Henry  Mayo 
of  Coker's  Frome. 

The  introduction  of  the  Dorset  Horn  to  America  is  very  recent, 
being  the  last  of  the  well-known  breeds  brought  from  England  to 
this  country.  The  first  Dorsets  shown  in  the  United  States  were 
some  ewes  and  lambs  exhibited  in  1885  at  the  American  Fat- 
Stock  Show  at  Chicago  by  E.  and  A.  Stanford  of  Steyning,  Eng- 
land. The  first  owned  in  this  country  were  purchased  in  March, 
1887,  by  William  Daley  of  Lockport,  New  York,  from  Valancey 


588 


SHEEP 


E.  Fuller  of  Canada.  In  May,  1887,  E.  F.  Bowditch  of  Framing- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  made  an  importation,  he  being  a  special- 
ist in  early-lamb  raising.  The  following  month  Adin  Thayer  of 
Hoosic  Falls,  New  York,  imported  12  head.  This  same  year  (1887) 
Woodward  &  Jaques  of  Lockport,  New  York,  and  R.  J.  Buck 
of  Bridgeton,  New  Jersey,  made  importations,  and  the  following 
year,  in  July,  Rutherford  Stuyvesant  of  New  Jersey  imported 
2  rams  and  28  ewes  from  the  English  flocks  of  John  and  William 
Kinder.  In  September,  1889,  Mr.  T.  S.  Cooper  of  Coopersburg, 

Pennsylvania,  imported 
153  head,  mostly  from  the 
flock  of  Thomas  Mayo,  and 
again  in  1 89 1  brought  over 
204  more  head.  The  sheep 
imported  by  Mr.  Cooper 
were  very  superior  and  were 
sold  and  distributed  among 
numerous  breeders,  espe- 
cially in  the  East.  The  first 
Dorsets  in  Ohio  were 
shipped  to  that  state  by 
Mr.  Cooper  in  1891. 

The  characteristics  of 
the  Dorset  Horn  sheep  are 
distinctive  in  part,  as  this 


FIG.  274.    A  Dorset  Horn  ram,  first  prize  in 
class  at  several  state  fairs  in  1898,  shown  by 
Tranquillity  Farm  of  New  Jersey.    From  pho- 
tograph by  the  author 


is  the  only  horned  breed  in  Britain  with  white  face  and  leg.  In 
general  conformation  the  Dorset  tends  to  have  a  body  a  bit  long 
and  rangy  and  lacking  in  refinement.  The  head  is  conspicuous 
in  having  horns  present  with  each  sex.  The  well-matured  ram 
has  a  strong  horn  which  curves  backward  and  around  spirally, 
making,  perhaps,  nearly  a  turn  and  a  half  and  coming  somewhat 
close  to  the  head.  The  horns  on  the  ewes  curve  around  forward, 
with  the  tips  about  level  with  the  eye  and  turning  in  slightly.  The 
head  has  a  short  foretop  of  wool  which  comes  down  to  a  line  with 
the  eyes,  while  the  face  and  much  of  the  jaws  are  covered  with 
hard,  white  hair.  The  face  is  strong,  with  considerable  breadth 
between  the  eyes,  and  the  nostrils  are  white.  Below  the  knees 
and  hocks  the  legs  are  covered  with  white  hair,  though  a  short 


THE  DORSET  HORN 


589 


covering  of  wool  may  prevail  on  the  hind  legs.  The  skin  color  is 
generally  pink  and  attractive,  breeders  seeking  a  good  color  and 
especially  objecting  to  spots.  The  hoofs,  like  the  horns,  should  be 
white.  In  comparison  with  a  Southdown  or  Shropshire,  the  Dorset 
is  -a  rougher,  coarser  sort  of  sheep,  longer  of  neck,  with  a  tendency 
to  prominent  shoulder,  high  withers,  uneven  back  line,  and  a  lack 
of  thickness  in  the  hind  quarters  from  the  rump  to  twist.  One  is 
impressed  with  the  Dorset  as  a  strong,  hardy  sheep  with  consider- 
able room  for  improvement  in  conformation,  fleshing,  and  quality. 


FIG.  275.    A  Dorset  Horn  ram,  champion  at  the  1918  Ohio  State  Fair.    Exhibited 
by  L.  R.  Bradford,  Rochester,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

The  size  of  the  Dorset  Horn  is  from  medium  to  heavy  among 
middle-wool  breeds.  Mature  rams  in  fair  flesh  should  weigh 
about  225  pounds  and  ewes  165  pounds.  In  some  cases,  how- 
ever, much  larger  weights  are  secured.  Mr.  T.  S.  Cooper  selected 
a  large  type  in  his  importations.  One  two-year-old  ram  attained 
a  weight  of  317  pounds  and  a  yearling  287  pounds,  while  ram 
lambs  weighed  184  and  164  pounds  at  five  months  and  one  week 
old.  These  were  mostly  first-prize  winners.  Three  first-prize 
yearling  ewes  at  the  1889  royal  show  weighed  at  shearing  time 
262,  245,  and  222  pounds  respectively,  and  in  August  each 
dropped  twin  lambs.  These,  however,  were  excessive  weights. 
Shaw  and  Heller  credit  the  breed  with  considerable  variation  in 


590 


SHEEP 


size  and  give  weights  of  200  to  225  pounds  to  the  ram  in  breed- 
ing condition,  with  150  to  175  pounds  to  the  ewe;  while  Coffey 
states  that  mature  rams  weigh  approximately  275  pounds  and 
ewes  1 80  to  200  pounds.  According  to  Henry  and  Morrison  the 
average  weight  of  23  yearling  fat  Dorset  wethers  at  the  Smithfield 
Show,  six  hundred  and  seventy-nine  days  old,  was  261  pounds, 
while  49  lambs  at  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  days  of  age 
averaged  200  pounds.  The  present-day  demand  for  Dorset 

Horns  is  for  the  larger 
type  of  ram  and  ewe, 
but  even  under  most 
favorable  conditions 
these  are  not  likely  to 
surpass  250  and  180 
pounds  respectively. 

The  Dorset  Horn  as 
a  mutton  producer  can- 
not be  placed  in  the  first 
class,  ranking  about 
medium.  The  meat 
of  the  wether  is  of  fair 
quality  when  not  over- 
fat,  while  fat  lambs 
rank  very  well  indeed. 
In  the  dressed  carcass 
the  Dorset  does  not 
reach  the  best  standard. 

In  the  Iowa  Station  breed  tests,  in  the  first  trial  with  fattening 
wether  lambs,  the  Dorset  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .48  pound 
and  dressed  52.6  per  cent  carcass,  being  valued  at  $3.75  per 
hundred  —  the  poorest  record  made  by  ten  breeds ;  while  in 
the  second  trial  they  made  a  daily  gain  of  .43  pound  and  dressed 
54.11  per  cent  (being  surpassed  only  by  the  Southdown),  the  car- 
cass selling  at  $5.50  a  hundred  compared  with  $5.75  for  the  South- 
down and  $5.60  for  the  Shropshire.  The  average  daily  gain  for 
the  23  yearling  wethers  shown  at  the  Smithfield  Show  between 
1895  and  1912,  as  given  by  Henry  and  Morrison,  was  .38  pound, 
while  49  lambs  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .60  pound.  In 


FIG.  276.    A  pair  of  Dorset  Horn  rams  in  Dorset- 
shire,  England.    From  a  photograph  by  the  late 
J.  E.  Wing,  by  courtesy  of  Mrs.  Wing 


THE  DORSET  HORN  591 

these  gains  the  Dorset  Horn  surpassed  the  lighter  Down  breeds 
but  did  not  do  so  well  as  Suffolk,  Hampshire,  or  Oxford. 

The  Dorset  Horn  as  an  early-lamb  producer  has  great  distinc- 
tion, having  long  been  famous  in  this  regard  over  other  British 
breeds.  The  ewes  will  breed  during  much  of  the  year,  so  that 
they  have  a  special  -value  for  producing  Christmas  lambs.  It  has 
long  been  customary  in  England  to  breed  the  ewes  in  June  and 
July  to  lamb  in  November  and  December,  furnishing  early  lambs 
for  the  London  market.  In  the  United  States,  owing  to  the  hot 
summers,  the  ewes  are  more  readily  bred  from  the  middle  of 
March  into  May.  The  lambs  fatten  rapidly  and  soon  attain  good 
weights.  In  England  November  or  December  lambs  are  generally 
sold  fat  in  March  and  April,  when  they  weigh  40  to  44  pounds 
in  the  dressed  carcass,  according  to  Thomas  Chick,  long  a  well- 
known  Dorset  breeder.  Dorsets  were  first  introduced  to  America 
for  hothouse  lambs,  and  in  the  late  eighties  J.  S.  Woodward  of 
Lockport,  New  York,  was  shipping  these  lambs  to  New  York. 
This  industry  has  continued  more  or  less  in  the  eastern  United 
States  ever  since.  Mr.  Fred  Huyler  writes 1  that  recently  he 
received  a  letter  from  one  of  the  largest  sheep  breeders  in  the 
country,  in  which  he  says : 

We  have  slaughtered  over  400  hothouse  lambs  since  January  first,  and 
expect  to  slaughter  about  i  oo  more  before  the  warm  weather  sets  in.  These 
were  all  Dorsets,  or  a  cross  with  Southdown  ewes  and  a  pure-bred  Dorset 
ram.  The  average  price  received  for  them  was  $16  apiece,  with  an  average 
weight  of  55  pounds.  Most  of  the  lambs  were  dropped  since  October  I,  1917. 

Mr.  Huyler  states  that  in  his  own  experience  six  lambs  dropped 
in  his  flock  October  15,  1917,  at  the  end  of  five  months  weighed 
an  average  of  about  130  pounds,  showing  a  daily  gain  of  almost 
I  pound  each. 

The  Dorset  Horn  for  grading  or  crossing  has  a  special  value 
if  mutton  production  is  the  thing  sought.  Shropshire  or  South- 
down rams  on  old  Dorset  Horn  ewes  will  produce  very  high-class 
lambs  with  dark  faces,  just  what  the  market  wants.  A  grade 
or  cross  from  Merino  stock  meets  with  favor  in  America.  In 
discussing  this  subject  Messrs.  Wing  and  Miller  state  that  a 

1  American  Sheep  Breeder,  May,  1918. 


592 


SHEEP 


Merino  grade  from  large,  roomy  Merino  ewes  and  a  blocky, 
vigorous  Dorset  ram  will  prove  a  surer  breeder,  if  possible,  than 
the  pure-bred  Dorset  ewe.  There  are  not  many  growers  of  hot- 
house lambs  who  do  not  prefer  Dorset  Horn  grades  from  Merino 
foundation  to  any  other,  the  pure-bred  not  excepted.  These 
ewes  are  again  bred  to  pure-bred  Dorset  Horn  rams,  and  the  result 
is  a  very  blocky,  easily  fattened  lamb.  These  grade  ewes  are 
also  better  milkers  than  the  pure-breds.  At  Purdue  University 


FIG.  277.   A  group  of  choice  Dorset  Horn  ewes  on  pasture  in  Dorsetshire,  Eng- 
land.   From  a  photograph  by  the  late  J.  E.  Wing,  -by  courtesy  of  Mrs.  Wing 

especially  fine  results  were  secured  from  crossing  a  Dorset  ram 
on  Rambouillet  ewes,  as  compared  with  lambs  from  the  same 
kind  of  ewes  sired  by  Shropshire  and  Rambouillet  rams.  The 
Dorset  crosses  showed  the  heaviest  weight  and  gave  the  best 
dressing^  percentage,  and  the  carcasses  were  thicker  and  showed 
more  finish  than  the  others. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Dorset  Horn  sheep  is  one  of  its  out- 
standing characteristics.  This  is  manifested  in  two  ways :  one, 
that  the  ewes  naturally  breed  so  as  to  lamb  twice  a  year ;  the 
other  that  the  ewes  are  especially  prolific,  even  if  lambing  but 


THE  DORSET  HORN  593 

once  a  year.  The  custom  of  breeding  the  ewes  twice  a  year 
has  been  in  vogue  since  the  earliest  history  of  the  breed.  It  is 
doubtful,  however,  on  the  basis  of  lambing  once  a  year,  if  the 
Dorset  is  the  equal  of  the  Shropshire  in  prolificacy.  A  writer_ 
on  the  Dorset  Horn  in  the  American  Breeder  (October  5,  1916) 
states  that  the  rate  of  increase  may  be  put  at  150  lambs  per 
100  ewes,  and  when  bred  twice  a  year  they  will  average  180  to 
200  lambs  per  100  ewes  annually.  Craig  places  the  rate  of 
increase  as  high  as  180  per  cent.  Relative  to  this  subject 
Professor  Frank  Kleinheinz  states l  that  at  Wisconsin  University 
Dorset  ewes  as  a  rule  have  dropped  twins,  and  he  cites  one  ewe 
of  the  flock  that  gave  birth  to  4  lambs,  all  of  which  she  raised, 
and  which  weighed  on  an  average  63  pounds  at  three  months  of 
age.  He  believes  that  75  per  cent  of  pure-bred  ewes  will  lamb 
twice  a  year  if  bred  for  that  purpose.  The  ewes  make  excellent 
mothers  and  produce  a  large  amount  of  milk,  often  times  drying 
off  with  difficulty. 

The  Dorset  Horn  as  a  grazer  is  not  in  the  first  class.  It  will 
not  do  well  on  inferior  pastures  and  is  better  suited  to  the  richer, 
lower-lying  farms  than  to  uplands,  especially  if  rough.  In  their 
native  home,  according  to  the  English  flock  book,  about  one  to 
one  and  one-half  ewes  are  kept  to  the  acre,  and  "they  require 
plenty  of  room  and  are  generally  allowed  to  roam  the  pasture  in 
the  daytime,  being  brought  to  the  arable  land  at  night."  They  are 
also  hurdled  to  a  considerable  extent  on  forage  plants  and  roots. 

The  Dorset  Horn  as  a  wool  producer  is  open  to  material  im- 
provement. Mature  rams  will  shear  about  9  pounds  and  ewes 
about  6  pounds  of  unwashed  wool.  Twenty  imported  sheep  of 
J.  B.  Henderson  of  Pennsylvania  are  credited  with  shearing  an 
average  of  10  pounds  each.  The  fleece  of  the  Dorset  has  im- 
proved in  weight  and  quality.  Wrightson  states  that  fifty  years 
ago  it  was  computed  as  averaging  3|  pounds,  whereas  now  (1895) 
a  breeding  flock  of  ewes  will  clip  from  5  to  6  pounds  of  wool, 
and  yearling  ewes  from  6  to  7  pounds,  while  rams  will  clip  8  to 
12  pounds  each,  all  these  weights  following  brook  washings. 
Dorset  sheep  have  too  short  a  fleece  and  show  too  little  wool 
on  the  underside  of  the  body.  The  quality  of  the  staple  is  of 

1  American  Sheep  Breeder  (May,  1918),  p.  309. 


594 


SHEEP 


medium  grade.  Shaw  and  Heller  state l  that  twenty-five  samples 
of  Dorset  fleece  were  graded  upon  the  Philadelphia  market  for 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  fifteen  of  which 
were  three-eighths-blood  combing  and  the  other  ten  quarter- 
blood  combing  wool.  The  wool  is  rated  as  lacking  somewhat 
in  weight,  but  of  excellent  quality  and  free  from  discoloration. 


FIG.  278.   A  Dorset  Horn  ewe,  champion  at  the  Indiana  State  Fair,  shown  by 
Tranquillity  Farm,  Allamuchy,  New  Jersey.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

"A  well-known  wool  authority,"  discussing  Dorset  wool,2  makes  the 
point  that  it  possesses  two  advantages  over  the  wool  of  the  Down 
breeds ;  namely,  it  is  pure  white  when  scoured  and  not  a  cream 
white,  and  it  contains  no  trace  of  the  black  or  brown  fibers  invari- 
ably found  in  Down  wools,  consequently  its  uses  are  not  so  lim- 
ited, as  traces  of  brown  fibers  found  in  any  wool  prevent  it  from 

1  "  Domestic  Breeds  of  Sheep  in  America,"  Bulletin  94,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  1914. 

2  American  Sheep  Breeder,  May,  1918. 


THE  DORSET  HORN 


595 


being  used  for  all-white  or  pale-colored  woolen  goods.  This  expert 
regards  it  as  a  little  finer  than  Shropshire  and  a  little  coarser  than 
Southdown  wool.  It  is  especially  adapted  for  high-class  winter 
hosiery  and  "is  exclusively  used  for  this  purpose- in  England." 

Horns  a  protection  to  the  Dorset  Horn.  Early  advocates  of  the 
breed  argued  that  by  means  of  its  horns  the  Dorset  would  pro- 
tect itself  better  from  dogs  than  would  hornless  sheep,  but  this 
claim  has  been  very  generally  discarded  in  recent  years  as  not 
being  worthy  of  special  distinction. 

The  distribution  of  the  Dorset  Horn  is  not  so  widespread  as 
most  other  British  breeds.  In  England  it  is  found  most  abun- 
dantly in  Dorset  and  Somerset  counties,  especially  on  the  island 


FIG.  279.    A  view  in  Dorsetshire,  showing  part  of  the  Flower  flock  of  Dorsets 

soon  after  shearing.    From  photograph  by  H.  B.  Arbuckle,  by  courtesy  of  the 

National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

of  Wight,  and  about  Purbeck  and  Portland,  where  superior  flocks 
exist.  In  1903,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Dorset  Horn  Asso- 
ciation, 46,878  head  were  reported  in  Dorset,  9458  in  Somerset, 
and  6728  on  the  Isle  of  Wight,  these  all  being  registered  sheep. 
In  1913  the  Dorset  Down  Association  in  England  had  ninety- 
two  members,  possessing  flocks  which  aggregated  43,194  sheep. 
At  the  annual  sale  of  Dorsets  at  Dorchester  as  many  as  15,000 
head  are  sold.  The  breed  has  not  been  taken  up  with  much 
activity  abroad.  In  the  United  States  high-class  flocks  are  found 
in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Connecticut,  Vermont,  Pennsylvania, 
West  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Illinois,  but  the  breed  is 
found  in  many  other  states  and  also  in  Canada.  Dorsets  have 
also  been  exported  to  Australasia  and  other  British  provinces. 
Of  nearly  20,000  pure-bred  sheep  in  Canada  in  1908  but  350 
were  Dorset  Horns.  The  breed  seems  well  adapted  to  the  level 


596  SHEEP 

or  slightly  rolling  lands  where  food  is  abundant.  It  has  also 
thrived  in  the  Allegheny  Mountain  region  under  conditions  of 
good  grazing. 

Organizations  of  the  Dorset  Horn  sheep  breeders  were  perfected 
in  1891  in  both  England  and  the  United  States.  In  Eng- 
land the  Dorset  Horn  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  gives  official 
supervision  to  the  breed.  Its  first  flock  book  was  published  in 
1892,  since  which  up  to  1917  it  has  issued  twenty-six  volumes. 
There  is  also  in  England  another  association  for  promoting  the 
breed  —  the  Dorset  Down  Sheep  Breeders'  Association.  Each  of 
these  organizations  has  its  office  at  Dorchester.  In  1891  the 
Dorset  Horn  Sheep  Breeders  of  America  organized  and  estab- 
lished a  flock  book,  publishing  the  first  and  second  volumes  in 
one  in  1894.  This  association  for  many  years  has  manifested  no 
symptoms  of  activity.  Owing  to  a  disagreement  among  the  mem- 
bers, in  1897  the  Continental  Dorset  Club  was  organized,  with 
headquarters  in  Ohio.  This  club  published  its  first  flock  book  in 
1900  and  in  1918  issued  its  eighteenth  volume.  This  is  essen- 
tially the  only  organization  promoting  the  breed  in  America. 


CHAPTER  LIII 
THE  CHEVIOT 

The  native  home  of  the  Cheviot  breed  of  sheep  is  in  the  border 
country  between  England  and  Scotland,  especially  in  the  counties 
of  Roxburgh  (Scotland)  and  Northumberland  (England).  On  the 
east  these  two  counties  are  bordered  by  the  North  Sea.  The 
country  is  hilly  or  mountainous,  rising  to  an  elevation  of  nearly 
three  thousand  feet  in  the  section  known  as  the  Cheviot  Hills. 
The  hillsides  are  free  of  timber,  excepting  in  the  case  of  small 
artificial  plantings,  but  are  covered  with  short,  nutritious  grass. 
The  climate  is  moist  and  rough,  snow  falling  frequently  in  winter, 
although  not  usually  attaining  much  depth.  The  country  is  sup- 
plied with  many  mountain  streams,  and  the  river  Tweed  and  its 
tributaries  drain  much  of  the  Scotch  Cheviots.  A  great  woolen 
industry  is  conducted  in  this  region,  with  Kelso  on  the  Tweed  and 
Hawick  on  the  Teviot  as  important  centers. 

The  origin  of  the  Cheviot  is  obscure^like  most  other  breeds. 
Cheviots  have  been  bred  in  the  border  country  from  very  early 
times.  In  1791  David  Irving  published  a  letter  in  the  'Annals  of 
Agriculture  "  relating  to  experiments  by  him  on  Cheviots  com- 
mencing in  1777.  The  Cheviot  has  been  crossed  more  or  less 
with  Black  Faced  Highland,  Leicester,  Southdown,  and  Merino, 
and  the  character  of  the  breed  has  undergone  great  changes 
through  careful  selection,  but  the  influence  of  the  breeds  men- 
tioned has  not  been  notable.  In  1 796  Naismyth  wrote l  that  the 
Cheviot  was  well  polled,  was  smooth  and  white  of  face  and  leg  or 
somewhat  mixed  with  black  or  brown.  There  was  a  tendency  to 
too  much  leg,  the  shoulders  were  thin  in  some  individuals,  and 
the  fleece  was  generally  close  and  even,  the  wool  soft  and  fine, 
from  two  to  three  and  one-half  inches  long.  He  further  says  : 
"The  same  kind  of  sheep  have  fed  in  this  district  (Cheviot  Hills) 
from  time  immemorial ;  nor  does  anybody  allege  that  they  were 

1  Annals  of  Agriculture,  Vol.  XXVII,  p.  55. 
597 


598 


SHEEP 


ever  natives  of  any  other  region."  The  British  Wool  Society 
over  a  century  ago  did  much  to  popularize  the  breed,  and  at  one 
time  it  became  generally  distributed  over  Scotland.  The  improve- 
ment of  the  Cheviot  was  gradually  brought  about  by  the  breeders 
in  general,  although  Mr.  Robson  of  Belford,  from  1757  on,  by 
the  use  of  Lincolnshire  rams  is  credited  with  being  the  great 
constructive  Cheviot  breeder  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Douglas, 


FIG.  280.   The  old  home  of  James  Robson,  Philhope,  Yetholm,  Scotland,  where 
important  early  constructive  breeding  of  the  Cheviot  took  place.    From  photo- 
graph by  the  author 

in  1798,  states1  that  to  remedy  low  and  thin  shoulders  three 
farmers  —  John  Edmistoun  of  Mindrum,  James  Robson  of  Phil- 
hope,  and  Charles  Ker  of  Riccaltoun  —  went  to  Lincolnshire 
"  about  forty  years  ago  "  and  bought  fourteen  white-faced  rams, 
and  through  these  marked  improvements  were  secured  in  their 
flocks.  During  the  nineteenth  century  Thomas  Elliott  of  Under 
Hindhope,  Jedburgh,  and  his  son  John  were  very  famous  breeders 
and  improvers. 

1  Reverend  Robert  Douglas,  General  View  of  the  Agriculture  in  the  Counties 
of  Roxburgh  and  Selkirk,  1798. 


THE  CHEVIOT 


599 


The  introduction  of  the  Cheviot  to  the  United  States  first 
occurred  in  1838  by  Robert  Youngs  of  Delhi,  Delaware  County, 
New  York.  They  had  some  time  previously  been  imported  into 
Canada  by  a  Mr.  Pope  of  Cookshire,  Quebec.  In  1842  George 
Lough  and  a  Mr.  Davidson  of  Delaware  County,  New  York, 
made  importations.  In  1845  T.  J.  Carmichael  imported  three 
rams  and  six  ewes  to  Jefferson  County,  Wisconsin.  Cheviots 
were  introduced  into  Pennsylvania  in  1889  by  T.  M.  Patterson, 
into  Illinois  in  1888  by  E.  Pumphrey,  and  into  Indiana  in  1891 
by  H.  H.  Keim.  In  re- 
cent years  quite  a  num- 
ber of  fine  Cheviots  have 
been  imported  into  the 
United  States. 

Characteristics  of  the 
Cheviot.  The  head  is 
usually  hornless  and  is 
covered  with  hard,  white, 
short  hair  to  behind  the 
ear  and  around  the  jaw. 
The  lips  and  nostrils 
should  be  black,  though 
frequently  they  are  also 
mottled  flesh-color  and 
black.  The  nose  should 

be  broad,  with  a  tendency  to  a  Roman  curve.  The  head  is  short  and 
broad  between  the  prominent,  large  eyes.  The  ears  are  white  and 
free  from  wool  and  are  thinner  and  longer  than  the  Shropshire  ear. 
The  Cheviot  shoulder  is  lighter  than  with  lowland  breeds,  and  the 
body  lacks  the  breadth  of  the  Shropshire  and  the  Southdown.  The 
withers  incline  to  be  high  and  sharp,  the  back  is  none  too  level, 
and  the  depth  of  body  is  only  moderate.  The  bone  is  of  fine 
quality  and  strong,  as  is  quite  manifest  in  the  clean  white  legs. 
The  skin  is  unusually  pink  and  rich  in  color.  The  fleece  covers 
the  body  and  extends  up  the  neck  to  behind  the  ears,  forming  a 
sort  of  collar  and  covering  the  legs  to  knees  and  hocks.  The 
fleece  is  of  the  middle-wool  class,  neither  fine  nor  coarse,  of  staple 
grading  quarter-blood  combing,  and  in  the  better  flocks  even 


FIG.  281.  Cheviot  rams,  the  first-prize  pen  at  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  Show, 
1900.  Owned  and  exhibited  by  John  Elliott, 
Under  Hindhope,  Jedburgh,  Scotland.  From 
photograph  by  the  author 


6oo 


SHEEP 


three-eighths-blood,  and  averages  about  three  inches  long.  Some- 
times the  wool  on  the  lower,  back  part  of  the  thigh  is  long  and 
tends  to  be  hairy,  a  very  objectionable  feature.  The  head  and  ears 
often  have  small  black  spots  which  are  not  disqualifications  but 
are  regarded  as  objectionable.  Reddish  or  sandy  hair  also  occa- 
sionally occurs  on  face  and  legs,  which  is  strongly  objected  to. 
All  rams  possessing  well-defined  horns  an  inch  or  more  long  are 
ineligible  for  registration.  Horns  occur  occasionally  on  the  rams, 
but  are  becoming  more  and  more  rare.  The  hoofs  should  be  black. 

The  temperament  of 
the  Cheviot  is  a  strik- 
ing characteristic.  He 
carries  himself  with  an 
uplift  of  head  and  alert- 
ness of  ear  and  general 
style  very  distinctive  of 
the  breed  and  one  of 
its  greatest  charms.  In 
more  recent  years  the 
tendency  among  the 
best  breeders  of  Scot- 
land and  America  has 

FIG.  282.   A  Cheviot  ram,  champion  at  the  show  of      ,  •, 

the   Highland   and  Agricultural  Society,  Hawick, 

Scotland,   1914.    From  photograph  by  the  author      broader-backed,  wider 

sheep  all  through,  full 

in  his  hind  quarter,  short  of  leg,  and  with  a  fleece  of  marked  quality 
and  density.  Judges  in  the  best  shows  recognize  this  improvement. 
The  size  of  the  Cheviot  is  medium,  comparable  with  the  Shrop- 
shire for  weight.  Mature  rams  weigh  about  200  pounds,  with  225 
a  standard,  and  ewes  from  150  to  160  pounds.  But  few  rams 
exceed  225  pounds,  though  ewes  frequently  surpass  160  pounds. 
The  standard  of  the  American  Cheviot  Sheep  Society,  adopted  in 
1908,  states  that  a  ram  at  twenty-four  months  should  weigh  not  less 
than  225  pounds  and  the  ewe  of  the  same  age  not  less  than  150. 
It  has  been  stated  that  this  is  a  "  rather  small  "  breed,  with  weights 
for  rams  at  175  to  200  pounds  and  ewes  at  140  to  160  pounds, 
but  the  Cheviot  certainly  cannot  be  classed  as  small,  even  on  the 
basis  of  these  figures. 


THE  CHEVIOT 


60 1 


The  Cheviot  as  a  mutton  producer  stands  high.  In  England 
the  mutton  of  this  breed,  which  is  rarely  too  fat  and  has  very 
superior  quality,  ranks  in  the  first  class.  External  fat  is  not  abun- 
dant, but  there  is  a  desirable  proportion  of  lean  to  fat.  Professor 
Wallace  of  Scotland  states  that  ewes  fed  on  turnips  twelve  to  four- 
teen weeks,  and  wethers  from  the  hills  at  three  years,  weigh,  killed 
and  dressed,  60  to  70  pounds.  Wethers  a  year  younger,  fed  tur- 
nips, weigh  about  the  same.  The  Cheviot  at  the  Smithfield  Fat- 
Stock  Show  has  always  made  a  good  place  for  itself,  and  in  1914 
Archibald  MacNeilage,  ed- 
itor of  the  Scottish  Farmer, 
stated  that  as  a  mutton  breed 
at  this  show  it  has  been  pre- 
eminent from  the  begin- 
ning. Henry  and  Morrison 
show1  from  Smithfield  Club 
records  that  53  yearling 
wethers  averaging  five  hun- 
dred and  ninety-two  days 
and  224  pounds  live  weight 
made  an  average  daily  gain 
of  .  3  7  pound,  and  3  5  wether 

'. 
lambs  weighing  an  average 

of  141  pounds  at  two  hun- 

dred  and  thirty-eight  days 

gamed    .59    pound    daily, 

surpassing  both  Shropshire  and  Southdown  in  daily  gain.   In  the 

carcass  tests  at  the  Smithfield  Show  54  Cheviot  lambs  dressed 

59  per  cent  carcass,  which  is  better  than  average.    At  the  1911 
International   Live-Stock   Exposition,  in  the  carcass  contest  the 
second-prize  yearling  wether  was  a  Cheviot  shown  by  Wiscon- 
sin University  that  had  a  live  weight  of  1  60  pounds  and  dressed 

60  per  cent  carcass. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Cheviot  has  much  merit  as  a  mutton 
producer.  The  use  of  Border  Leicester  or  Lincoln  rams  on 
aged  Cheviot  ewes  has  been  practiced  for  a  great  many  years  in 
the  border  country,  such  half-breds  having  a  comparatively  high 

1  Feeds  and  Feeding  (1915),  p.  518. 


FlG'  2^'  A  ^he^ot  yearl>ng  ewe>  first  Prize 

m  class  at  the  Edinburgh  Show,  Scotland, 
1904.  This  is  a  fine  example  of  Cheviot 
style  and  character.  Bred  and  exhibited  by 

J"  R"  c  SnVth'  Mowhauf  •  From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  the  owner 


602  SHEEP 

value.  MacNeilage  brings  out  the  Scotch  system  in  an  interesting 
manner,  in  which  comparative   merits  are  discussed  as  follows  : 

In  the  southeast  of  Scotland,  and  to  a  large  extent  in  northeast  Northumber- 
land, the  produce  of  the  Border  Leicester  tup  (ram)  and  the  Cheviot  ewe  has 
been  the  savior  of  agriculture.  There  you  have  land,  too  good  to  be  utilized 
as  a  rearing  ground  for  a  mountain  breed  like  the  Cheviot,  and  not  good 
enough  to  do  justice  to  the  Border  Leicester.  Some  farseeing  men,  recogniz- 
ing that  there  was  some  sort  of  affinity  between  the  two  white-faced  breeds, 
crossed  them,  and  gave  them  the  suggestive  name  of  half-breds.  It  is  not 
certain  who  actually  was  the  first  to  suggest  and  practice  the  cross,  but  two 
names  are  usually  mentioned  as  prominent.  These  are  John  Borthwick  of 
West  Newton,  Northumberland,  and  Mr.  Elliott  of  Lamberton,  Berwickshire. 
From  the  Cheviot  is  derived  a  hardier  constitution  than  the  Border  Leicester 
can  boast,  and  from  the  Border  Leicester  more  size  and  a  greater  tendency  to 
ripen  early.  The  half-bred  is  said  to  have  wool  more  close  planted,  to  be  better 
clad  than  the  Border  Leicester,  and  the  mutton  is  of  finer  quality  than  that 
produced  by  the  latter  breed.  In  addition  to  these  qualities  the  half-bred 
is  more  prolific,  and  a  better  mother  than  her  progenitor,  four  out  of  five 
producing  twins. 

Oxford  Down  rams  are  also  used  on  Cheviot  ewes  with  success. 
Both  of  these  crosses  produce  very  rapid-fattening  lambs,  giving 
a  leaner  and  better  quality  of  flesh,  dressing  out  16  to  18  pounds 
to  the  quarter  at  about  twelve  months  old.  Cheviot  rams  have  not 
been  used  extensively  in  crossing,  but  when  used  on  Merino  grade 
ewes  produce  an  easier-fattening  lamb  of  more  salable  type. 

The  Cheviot  as  a  grazing  sheep  is  unsurpassed.  On  its  native 
hills  it  subsists  entirely  on  pasture,  excepting  for  hay  which  may 
be  fed  during  excessive  snow  when  the  grass  is  covered.  Ordi- 
narily the  Cheviots  paw  aside  the  thin  covering  of  snow  on 
the  hillsides  and  thus  secure  winter  grazing.  No  breed  is  more 
essentially  a  grazing  sheep. 

The  Cheviot  as  a  range  sheep  is  of  peculiar  character.  This 
breed  does  not  flock  in  the  ordinary  manner,  each  sheep  moving 
about  independently,  thus  scattering  to  a  considerable  extent.  On 
the  Scotch  hillsides  one  sees  no  evidence  of  flockings  such  as 
the  Merino  exhibits.  There  are  but  few  of  these  sheep  on  the 
Western  range,  but  if  the  natural  hardiness  of  the  Cheviot  could 
be  combined  with  reasonable  restriction  of  movement  it  would 
serve  a  valuable  purpose  to  the  ranchman.  In  recent  years  the 


THE  CHEVIOT 


603 


breed  has  secured  some  foothold  in  the  Canadian  Northwest, 
where  one  very  large  flock  is  kept  on  the  range.  It  is  also 
growing  in  favor  in  eastern  Canada,  especially  Quebec. 

The  hardiness  of  the  Cheviot  is  one  of  its  strong  characteristics. 
For  generations  raised  on  the  hills,  rarely  seeing  the  inside  of  a  shed 
or  barn,  summer  or  winter,  it  has  from  very  force  of  circumstances 


FIG.  284.    Cock  Robin,  champion  Cheviot  ram  at  the  1918  Ohio   State  Fair. 
Owned  by  R.  D.  Grieve,  Xenia,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

developed  into  the  hardiest  of  the  middle- wool  breeds.  The  lambs 
are  vigorous  from  birth  and  seem  well  suited  to  severe  conditions 
of  environment.  On  their  native  hills  Cheviots,  as  a  rule,  receive 
no  grain  unless  they  be  rams  or  show  sheep. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Cheviot  is  above  the  average,  and  one  may 
be  safe  in  assuming  above  125  per  cent.  The  lambs  are  usually 
dropped  under  rather  vigorous  conditions,  yet  they  soon  get  up  on 
their  feet  and  begin  nursing  and  are  naturally  very  active.  The  ewes 
are  excellent  mothers  and  produce  an  abundant  flow  of  milk. 


604 


SHEEP 


The  Cheviot  as  a  wool  producer  is  only  fair.  The  fleeces  lack 
weight,  although  they  have  very  satisfactory  quality,  the  wool  bring- 
ing a  price  equal  to  any  of  the  medium  class.  Twenty-five  Cheviot 
breeders  give  the  average  weights  of  fleeces  in  their  flocks  as 
ranging  from  7|  to  1 1  pounds  per  fleece  for  rams  and  6  to  9 
pounds  for  ewes.  Wallace  states  that  a  good  average  clip  for 
ewes  is  4*-  to  5  pounds  of  washed  wool.  The  author  has  received 
from  Scotland  records  of  individual  weights  of  a  considerable 
number  of  fleeces  in  prominent  flocks,  the  heaviest  being  8  pounds 


FIG.  285.    A  Cheviot  ewe,  champion  at  the  1918  Ohio  State  Fair.    Owned  by 
R.  D.  Grieve,  Xenia,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

for  a  stud  ram,  with  many  ranging  from  5  to  6  pounds.  Formerly 
Cheviot  fleeces  appeared  somewhat  open  and  long,  and  the  breed 
has  ignorantly  been  referred  to  by  some  as  a  long  wool,  whereas 
it  is  a  true  middle  wool  of  three-eighths  combing  grade.  In 
American  flocks  the  fleece  is  being  bred  to  be  more  compact  and 
heavier,  with  a  length  averaging  as  near  four  inches  as  possible. 
Cheviot  wool  is  valued  by  buyers,  and  in  scouring  tests  at  the 
Michigan  Experiment  Station  the  wool  of  this  breed  shrunk  less 
than  that  of  any  other. 

High  prices  for  Cheviot  sheep   have  been  paid  in  Scotland. 
Each  year  at  Hawick  annual  ram  sales  are  held  on  a  large  scale, 


THE  CHEVIOT 


605 


thousands  of  sheep  being  sold  and  many  high  prices  paid,  with 
good  averages.  At  this  sale  in  1903  five  breeders  sold  rams  at 
prices  ranging  from  $150  to  $5/5  each.  At  the  1912  sale  the 
ram  Cheviot  Dinmont  sold  to  J.  S.  Dickson  and  A.  and  J.  K.  Smith 
for  $625.  At  the  1914  sale  the  ram  Millknowe  Masterpiece  sold 
for  about  $525,  and  the  ram  No.  I  Hihdhope,  bred  by  John  Elliott, 
sold  for  a  like  sum.  At  a  sale  in  1865  at  Beattock  165  Cheviot 
rams  owned  by  Mr.  Oliver  of  Hawick  brought  over  $12,000,  one 
three-year-old  bringing  $775  and  a  two-year-old  $605.  In  1902 


FIG.  286.    A  valley  scene  in  the  Cheviot  Hills,  Scotland.    This  picture  shows  the 
lack  of  the  flocking  habit  with  the  Cheviot.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

Mr.  J.  R.  C.  Smith  of  Yetholm,  Scotland,  purchased  the  ram 
Ambush  (1545)  for  about  $600.  In  1915  John  Elliott  purchased 
at  Hawick  at  auction  a  two-year-old  ram  for  about  $1125.  In 
1917  a  ram  sold  at  Hawick  for  $1000.  In  1919  all  Cheviot 
price  records  were  broken  when  a  yearling  ram,  the  champion  at 
the  show  of  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland, 
was  sold  by  John  Robson,  Millknowe,  to  Messrs.  Hogg,  Newlands, 
and  Robson  for  £620  ($3020). 

The  distribution  of  the  Cheviot  is  mainly  in  England,  Scotland, 
and  North  America.  In  a  considerable  territory  in  the  border 
country  in  Britain  there  are  many  large  flocks,  men  counting  their 


606  SHEEP 

holdings  by  thousands,  this  being  the  one  breed  in  evidence  on 
these  hills.  Cheviots  are  chiefly  bred  in  Roxburgh,  Dumfries, 
Peebles,  and  Sutherland  counties  (Scotland),  and  in  Northumber- 
land County  (England).  They  are  also  bred  to  a  small  extent  in 
Ireland  and  have  been  exported  to  New  Zealand.  In  Canada  the 
breed  has  grown  in  considerable  favor  in  recent  years,  and  in 

1918,  in  Saskatchewan,  George  W.  Brown  sold  a  flock  of  600 
high-grade  ewes  to  the  government  for  distribution  among  the 
farmers.    In  the  United  States  the  Cheviot  has  been  pretty  well 
distributed  from  Tennessee  north  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Far  West.    There  are  many  flocks  in  eastern  New  York,  with 
flocks  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Maine,  Tennessee, 
and  other  states.    In  1918  the  largest  flock  in  the  United  States, 
numbering  about  500  head,  was  owned  in  Maine,  and  the  breed 
is  rapidly  growing  in  favor  in  the  northeastern  United  States. 

Cheviot  sheep  breeders'  organizations  exist  in  Britain  and  the 
United  States.  The  Cheviot  Sheep  Society  of  Great  Britain  was 
organized  in  1891,  Volume  I  of  the  flock  book  appearing  in 
1893,  there  having  been  published  twenty-eight  volumes  up  to 

1919,  registering  3252  rams,  ewes  not  being  recorded.    In  1891 
the  American  Cheviot  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized 
in  New  York  State.    Owing  to  disaffection  among  the  members, 
in  1894  the  National  Cheviot  Sheep  Society  was  organized  in 
Indiana.    In  1900  these  organizations  amalgamated,  forming  the 
American  Cheviot  Sheep  Society,  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  New  York.    Each  of  the  old  associations  published  one  flock 
book,  while  the  new  society  in  1901  published  another  as  Vol- 
ume III.    Up  to  1918  this  society  had  published  its  latest  flock 
book  in  1905,  as  Volume  IV,  with  registration  brought  up  to  3500. 


CHAPTER  LIV 

THE  SUFFOLK 

The  native  home  of  the  Suffolk  sheep  is  in  southeastern  Eng- 
land. There  are  four  counties  fronting  the  North  Sea  —  Norfolk, 
Suffolk,  Essex,  and  Kent,  in  the  order  named  from  north  to  south. 
Suffolk  is  a  somewhat  flat,  low-lying  county  of  1489  square  miles 
and  contains  considerable  fertile  area  and  is  noted  for  breeds  of 
horses  and  sheep,  named  after  the  county.  Norfolk  is  a  fairly 
level  country  of  2087  square  miles  and  has  long  been  noted  for 
live  stock  and  standard  farm  crops.  Essex  and  Kent  corner  on 
the  city  of  London,  with  the  river  Thames  dividing  them.  Kent 
is  the  famous  hop-growing  section  of  England. 

The  original  stock  of  the  Suffolk  sheep  was  the  old  Norfolk 
and  Suffolk  heath  sheep.  These  had  a  long,  slender  carcass,  says 
Youatt,  long  legs,  horns,  and  a  black  face.  The  fore  quarters 
were  deficient,  the  shoulders  low,  and  the  withers  sharp.  The 
hind  quarters  were  fairly  well  developed.  The  fleece  was  short 
and  fine  and  weighed  light.  The  breed  was  hardy  and  prolific. 
These  sheep  were  crossed  with  Southdown  and  Hampshire  rams, 
although  English  Suffolk  breeders  assume  the  breed  to  have  been 
maintained  fairly  pure  since  1810.  The  Southdown  blood  bred 
off  the  horns,  improved  the  form,  and  gave  a  better  carcass  and 
earlier-maturing,  easier-fattened  sheep  than  the  Norfolk,  while 
the  Hampshire  blood  gave  size  and  weight.  Mr.  George  Dobito  of 
Ludgate,  Suffolk,  was  one  of  the  most  important  improvers  of  the 
Suffolk  in  the  last  century.  The  breed  was  first  exhibited  under  this 
name  in  1859  at  the  show  of  the  Suffolk  Agricultural  Association, 
but  was  not  recognized  by  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  until  1 886. 

The  introduction  of  Suffolk  sheep  to  America  is  as  recent  as 
1888,  when  two  importations  were  made  —  one  by  M.  B.  Streeter 
of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  said  to  have  been  prize-winning  stock, 
and  the  other  by  B.  D.  Sewell  of  Frederickton,  New  Brunswick, 
who  brought  over  20  ewes.  Suffolks  were  first  imported  to  Canada 

607 


6o8  SHEEP 

also  in  1888.  In  1892  the  Iowa  Suffolk  Sheep  Society  imported 
2  rams  and  20  yearling  ewes  and  placed  them  on  the  farm  of 
G.  VV.  Franklin  at  Atlantic. 

Characteristics  of  Suffolk  sheep.  The  head,  which  is  hornless, 
tends  to  be  long  and  is  characterized  by  a  Roman  nose.  The 
ears  are  large  and  long  and  commonly  incline  forward ;  the  neck 
is  moderately  long  ;  the  body,  rangy  but  broad  and  full  in  the  breast 


FIG.  287.    Playford  Model  (7731),  first-prize   Suffolk  ram  at  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  of  England  Show,  1904.     Owned  by  S.  R.   Sherwood,  Playford, 
England.    From    photograph,    by   courtesy    of   William   Cooper    &    Nephews, 
Berkhamsted,  England 

and  wide  through  the  chest,  has  a  well-sprung,  deep  rib,  is  espe- 
cially strong  in  the  back  and  loin,  full  and  thick  in  the  hind  quar- 
ters, and  notably  strong  in  the  twist.  The  legs  tend  to  be  short, 
and  one  is  impressed  with  this  as  a  fairly  low-set  sheep.  The  skin 
of  the  Suffolk  should  be  "fine,  soft,  and  pink."  The  head  and  ears 
are  covered  with  distinctly  black  hair,  and  the  legs  also  are  black. 
Ordinarily  the  entire  head  is  free  from  wool,  but  a  small  amount 
on  the  forehead  is  permissible.  The  Suffolk  is  quite  similar  to  the 
Hampshire  Down,  and  in  this  connection  Wrightson  says 1 : 

1  Sheep:  Breeds  and  Management  (1895),  P-  7 6. 


THE  SUFFOLK  609 

In  examining  Suffolk  sheep  the  observer  is  struck  with  the  blackness  of 
the  face  and  the  general  absence  of  wool  upon  the  head  or  between  the  ears, 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  the  Hampshire  Down  sheep.  This  is  the  principal 
characteristic  difference  in  appearance  between  the  two  breeds. 

The  size  of  the  Suffolk  is  nearly  equal  to  the  Hampshire  and  is 
greater  than  the  Shropshire.  It  is  stated  that  mature  rams  of 
Mr.  Sewell  weighed  from  200  to  240  pounds,  while  one  of  the 
imported  yearling  ewes  of  Mr.  Streeter  weighed  290  pounds,  and 
a  ram  lamb  nine  months  old  195  pounds.  From  figures  given  by 
Henry  and  Morrison  l  the  average  weight  of  forty-nine  yearling 
wethers  shown  at  the  Smithfield  Fat-Stock  Show,  between  1895  and 
1912,  at  six  hundred  and  forty-eight  days  of  age,  was  291  pounds, 
the  heaviest  of  any  breed  but  the  Lincoln ;  while  76  wether  lambs 
averaging  two  hundred  and  eighty-seven  days  weighed  201  pounds 
and  showed  an  average  daily  gain  of  .70  pound,  the  best  record 
of  any  middle-wool  breed.  Shaw  and  Heller  credit  the  rams  with 
200  to  240  pounds'  weight  and  the  ewes  150  to  200  pounds, 
while  Coffey  places  the  rams  at  250  affd  the  ewes  at  165  pounds. 
The  breed  standard  makes  no  reference  to  weight,  but  good  exam- 
ples weigh  distinctly  heavier  than  the  Shropshire.  The  author  has 
seen  some  Suffolks  in  American  shows  that  were  poor  types  of 
the  breed  and  would  find  no  favor  in  England. 

The  Suffolk  as  a  mutton  sheep  holds  high  rank  in  its  native 
country,  evidently  possessing  superior  qualities  from  Southdown 
inheritance,  the  fat  and  lean  being  in  good  proportion  and  the 
grain  and  flavor  of  the  meat  excellent.  In  the  British  mutton- 
carcass  contests  the  Suffolk  has  won  a  place  of  the  first  rank ;  in 
fact,  at  Smithfield  it  has  held  first  place  on  various  occasions. 
Again  quoting  Henry,  the  Smithfield-show  figures  given  by  him 
bring  out  the  fact  that  in  twenty  years  the  yearling  Suffolk  dressed 
64  per  cent  carcass. 

The  Suffolk  as  a  feeder  also  ranks  well.  It  has  been  kept  under 
conditions  of  moderate  grain  ration  with  considerable  grazing, 
showing  fair  feeding  returns.  In  experiments  on  fattening  wether 
lambs  at  the  Iowa  Experiment  Station  the  Suffolk  gained  rather 
faster  per  day  than  the  Shropshire  or  Southdown  in  each  trial, 
averaging  .55  pound  and  .40  pound  daily  gain  in  two  trials.  They 

1  Feeds  and  Feeding,  1915. 


6io 


SHEEP 


dressed  out  in  carcass  53.6  and  52.54  per  cent,  and  the  carcasses 
were  valued  at  $4.25  and  $5  per  hundred,  a  materially  poorer 
showing,  however,  than  most  of  the  other  breeds  made.  The 
average  daily  gain  of  Suffolk  yearling  wethers  at  the  Smithfield 
show,  of  .45  pound  per  day,  excelled  any  of  the  Down  breeds, 
while  the  wether  lambs  made  the  remarkable  daily  average  gain 
of  .70  pound,  being  excelled  only  by  the  Lincoln  with  .72  pound. 


FIG.  288.    A  Suffolk  ram,  champion  at  the  1914  Show  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

During  twenty-one  years,  up  to  1915,  in  the  Smithfield  Club 
carcass  competition  Suffolks  won  eight  championships  and  three 
reserves,  in  competition  with  all  breeds  and  crosses. 

The  Suffolk  crossbred  or  grade  is  comparatively  unknown  in 
North  America,  but  in  South  America  it  has  been  used  on  Merino 
grades  to  produce  good  mutton  sheep.  Suffolk  rams  are  gaining 
much  in  favor  in  some  parts  of  England  and  Scotland  for  using 
on  draft l  ewes.  Commenting  on  the  crossbred  as  it  has  appeared 
in  Australasia,  E.  M.  Prentice  writes2: 

1  Aged  ewes  culled  from  the  flock. 

2  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac  (London,  1917),  p.  134. 


THE  SUFFOLK  611 

The  Victoria  government  recently  included  Suffolks  in  their  well-conducted 
experiments  to  ascertain  the  comparative  mutton  value  of  various  crosses. 
Lincoln,  Border  Leicester,  Dorset  Horn,  Shropshire,  Southdown,  and  Suffolk 
rams  were  mated  with  selected  first  cross  Lincoln-Merino  ewes,  with  the  result 
that,  in  the  first  year,  the  Suffolk-cross  lambs  topped  the  market,  were  first  in 
maximum  weight  of  carcass,  first  in  minimum  weight,  first  in  average  weight, 
showed  the  least  per  cent  of  offal  loss,  and  in  value  of  the  fleece  were  beaten 
only  by  the  Lincoln  cross.  At  fourteen  to  fifteen  weeks  the  Suffolk-cross  lambs 
were  as  heavy  as  the  heaviest  of  the  other  crosses  at  seventeen  weeks.  At  the 
last  Canterbury  show  (the  largest  in  New  Zealand)  an  exhibit  of  Suffolk-cross 
wethers  marked  the  first  appearance  of  this  cross  on  the  show  ground  by  win- 
ning the  special  prize  offered  by  the  Canterbury  Frozen  Meat  Company  for 
the  best  freezers. 

The  fecundity  of  Suffolk  ewes  is  advocated  as  a  valuable  point 
in  behalf  of  the  breed.  Twins  are  common  and  triplets  not  un- 
common. In  the  spring  of  1891,  32  ewes  of  Mr.  Sewell  raised 
58  lambs,  while  the  same  year  5  imported  ewes  of  Mr.  Streeter 
produced  1 1  lambs,  and  in  1892  the  same  ewes  produced  14  lambs. 
According  to  returns  made  to  the  Suffolk  Flock  Book  Society  of 
England,  the  number  of  lambs  reared  to  June  I,  1903,  was  140.66 
per  cent  per  100  ewes  as  compared  with  135.49  in  1915  and  an 
average  of  133.87  per  cent  for  the  previous  twenty-eight  years. 
The  ewes  have  large  udders,  produce  an  abundance  of  milk,  and 
are  rated  as  excellent  nurses. 

The  Suffolk  as  a  producer  of  wool  does  not  rank  high.  The 
fleeces  are  somewhat  light,  and  the  staple  is  of  but  moderate 
length,  though  fine  and  soft,  and  grades  low  three-eighths  or 
quarter-blood  combing.  The  Suffolk  Society  standard  gives  the 
fleece  as  of  medium  grade  and  specifies  that  it  should  be  of  even 
quality,  present  a  smooth  surface,  and  extend  over  the  belly  and 
well  down  on  the  legs.  A  fleece  of  nine  pounds  has  been  reported 
by  some,  but  this  no  doubt  would  be  a  heavy  average. 

Prices  for  Suffolk  sheep  in  England  have  not  been  excessive. 
In  1916,  at  the  Suffolk  Sheep  Society's  Special  Sale  at  Ipswich, 
1439  yearling  ewes  averaged  about  $32  each.  One  ram  was  sold 
to  go  to  Scotland  for  $700.  The  average  price  of  408  rams  was 
$68.  At  the  three  principal  lamb  sales  5629  ewes  averaged  $16 
per  head.  In  the  1918  sales  5326  ewe  lambs  from  registered 
flocks  averaged  $17.50  each  and  2077  yearling  ewes  averaged 
$40  each.  The  top  price  per  head  for  a  pen  of  10  yearling  ewes 


612  SHEEP 

was  $150.    In  September,  1918,  at  the  Suffolk  Sheep  Society's 
Sale  at  Ipswich,  the  top  price  was  $525  for  a  ram  lamb. 

The  distribution  of  Suffolk  sheep  in  recent  years  has  grown 
greatly.  They  are  most  common  in  Suffolk  and  Norfolk  counties 
in  England,  but  the  breed  has  steadily  grown  in  favor  in  the 
colonies.  These  sheep  have  been  exported  to  practically  all  the 
British  colonies,  as  well  as  to  Denmark,  France,  Germany,  Spain, 
and  Jamaica.  At  the  1915  sales  at  Ipswich  it  is  reported  that 
buyers  were  present  from  all  parts^  of  the  United  Kingdom  — 
Scotland,  Wales,  Ireland,  Somerset,  Shropshire  —  and  many  orders 
were  executed  for  the  Midland  counties.  The  breed  is  securing 
a  serious  hold  in  Canada,  although  in  1908,  of  nearly  20,000 
pure-bred  sheep  in  that  country,  but  75  were  recorded  as  Suffolks. 

In  the  United  States  breeders  of  Suffolks  are  almost  unknown. 
In  the  great  sheep  shows  of  the  country  the  breed  is  practically 
unrepresented.  Suffolks  of  inferior  character  have  been  exhibited 
at  some  Eastern  fairs  where  classes  have  been  provided.  From 
the  show-ring  point  of  view  superior  individuals  are  quite  attrac- 
tive and  would  add  materially  to  the  interest  attached  to  our  sheep 
exhibitions,  notably  at  state  fairs  and  the  International  Live-Stock 
Exposition. 

Organizations  for  promoting  Suffolk  Down  sheep  were  first 
established  in  1886,  when  the  Suffolk  Down  Sheep  Society  organ- 
ized, publishing  its  first  flock  book  in  1887.  Up  to  1919  this 
society  had  published  flock  books  to  Volume  XXXII  inclusive. 
In  1892  the  American  Suffolk  Flock  Registry  Association  was 
organized,  with  headquarters  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  but  never 
showed  any  activity  while  located  there.  In  recent  years  the  head- 
quarters of  the  association  have  been  in  Ontario,  Canada,  and  the 
few  sheep  of  the  breed  are  registered  in  the  Canadian  book. 


CHAPTER  LV 

THE  TUNIS 

The  native  home  of  the  Tunis  breed,  often  referred  to  as  Fat- 
Tailed  Sheep,  is  in  northern  Africa,  in  Tunis,  a  French  province 
of  some  45,000  square  miles  fronting  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 
Much  of  the  land  is  hilly,  some  of  it  bordering  the  desert  of 
Sahara,  the  climate  is  warm,  and  the  main  crops  produced  are  wheat 
and  barley.  This  breed  is  found  mainly  in  the  upland  region. 

The  origin  of  Tunis  sheep  is  unknown,  but  the  type  has  no 
doubt  existed  for  centuries  in  Tunis  and  the  associated  section 
of  northern  Africa  sometimes  termed  Barbary. 

The  introduction  of  Tunis  sheep  to  America  is  said  to  date 
back  to  1799,  when  the  Bey  of  Tunis  allowed  General  William 
Eaton,  then  United  States  consul  at  Tunis,  at  his  request,  to 
ship  from  that  country  to  the  United  States  several  Abroad- 
tailed  Barbary  or  Mountain  Tunis  sheep,"  only  one  pair  of 
which  survived  the  voyage.  These  were  placed  in  the  hands  of 
Judge  Richard  Peters,  on  his  farm  near  Philadelphia,  where  they 
increased  in  number,  the  rams  being  used  on  native  American 
ewes  also.  The  original  ram  was  later  used  in  Lancaster  County, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  farm  of  General  Hand.  It  was  soon  dis- 
covered that  they  produced  superior  mutton,  and  sheep  of  Tunis 
stock  came  into  demand.  In  1807  or  1808  Commodore  Barren 
of  the  United  States  Navy  imported  some  Tunis  sheep  to  Vir- 
ginia and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Later  President  Jefferson  had 
a  ram  and  ewe  brought  over  on  a  government  vessel,  and  in  1825 
some  thirteen  were  landed  at  New  York.  A  pair  of  these  was  sent 
to  General  Van  Rensselaer  of  Albany.  From  the  early  stock, 
descendants  of  the  Peters  breeding,  it  is  claimed,  flocks  were 
established  in  South  Carolina  by  Colonel  Richard  Singleton  and 
in  Georgia  by  Richard  Peters.  These  sheep  increased  in  number, 
but  the  Civil  War  nearly  exterminated  them.  Most  of  the  impor- 
tations were  unsuccessful  owing  to  the  apparent  physical  disability 

613 


614 


SHEEP 


of  the  ewes  to  breed  on  account  of  the  tail  interfering  with  service. 
A  few  Tunis  sheep  from  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  were  shown  in 
1893  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  some  of 
which  J.  A.  Guilliams  of  Indiana  purchased.  Charles  Roundtree 


FIG.  289.    General  McPherson  619,  a  noted  Tunis  sire  and  prize  winner.   From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

of  the  same  state  later  on  visited  South  Carolina,  purchasing  ten 
of  the  flock  of  twenty-five  head  there  owned.  For  many  years 
Mr.  Roundtree  was  the  main  promoter  of  this  breed. 

The  characteristics  of  Tunis  sheep  are  not  well  fixed,  even  with 
the  many  years  these  sheep  have  been  bred  in  America.    The 


THE  TUNIS  615 

head  is  hornless  with  each  sex,  and  the  rams  are  characterized 
by  a  Roman  nose.  The  ears  are  large,  broad,  pendulous,  and 
covered  with  fine  hair.  The  neck  tends  to  be  long,  the  breast  is 
only  moderately  wide,  the  withers  are  frequently  high,  the  back 
of  medium  width,  and  the  leg  of  mutton  only  fair.  The  Tunis  is 
naturally  leggy,  but  the  bone  is  fine  and  the  quality  superior.  The 
tail  is  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  breed,  being  wide  at  its 
setting  (perhaps  measuring  five  inches  at  maturity),  thick  and 
moderately  long,  though  the  fleshy  part  is  carried  down  only  six 
or  eight  inches.  The  tail  is  usually  cut  off  when  the  lamb  is  very 
young  and  so  does  not  appear  as  an  important  feature  in  the 
sheep.  Left  on,  it  interferes  with  breeding  the  ewes.  At  the  end 
of  the  rump,  at  the  tail  head,  there  is  a  more  marked  fullness 
and  heaviness  than  with  other  docked  sheep.  The  color  of  the 
head,  ears,  and  legs  varies,  though  a  tawny  or  yellow  brown  is 
the  favorite.  Some  faces  are  solid  brown,  others  mottled  brown 
and  white.  The  ears  are  brown,  white  and  brown,  or  yellow  and 
white.  In  temperament  the  Tunis  is  mild  and  is  easily  handled. 

The  size  of  Tunis  sheep  varies  considerably,  but  rams  are  ex- 
pected to  weigh  150  pounds  or  more  and  ewes  120  pounds  and 
upward,  according  to  the  standard  of  the  Tunis  Association. 

The  Tunis  as  a  mutton  sheep  has  met  with  much  favor.  Early 
writers  bear  evidence  of  a  high  regard  for  the  breed  or  its  crosses 
for  mutton  in  the  markets  of  Philadelphia  and  vicinity.  The 
claim  has  been  made  by  the  few  promoters  of  the  breed  that 
on  grass  alone  they  will  make  excellent  and  fat  mutton.  In 
August,  1900,  four  grass-fed  ewes,  four  years  old,  sold  by 
Charles  Roundtree,  had  a  gross  weight  in  the  Union  Stock 
Yards  of  470  pounds.  They  averaged  about  16  pounds  for  the 
hind  quarter  and  17!  pounds  for  the  fore  quarter  and  dressed  out 
56  per  cent,  an  exceptionally  good  showing.  The  writer  has  exam- 
ined Tunis  lambs  in  October,  said  to  have  had  no  food  but  grass, 
which  were  in  splendid  flesh  for  killing.  On  various  occasions 
Tunis  grade  lambs  fed  by  Charles  Roundtree  have  topped  the 
Chicago  market  the  day  of  sale  and  have  received  much  favor- 
able stockyards  comment.  On  August  n,  1900,  two  lambs  one 
hundred  and  fifty  days  old  weighed  200  pounds  gross  and  dressed 
57.6  per  cent. 


6i6 


SHEEP 


Crossbred  or  grade  Tunis  sheep  sired  by  Tunis  rams  are 
regarded  on  the  market  as  of  choice  quality.  At  the  Arizona 
Experiment  Station  the  progeny  of  Tunis  rams  on  native  ewes 
proved  superior  as  feeders  and  for  range  conditions  to  those  sired 
by  Shropshire,  Hampshire,  Oxford,  or  Dorset  Horn  rams.  The 
lambs  came  early  and  soon  attained  large  size,  and  the  fleece  was 
improved  by  the  cross,  -being  notably  superior  to  that  of  the  dams. 


FIG.  290.   Tunis  ewe  2568,  champion  at  the  1916  Ohio  State  Fair.   Exhibited  by 
R.  E.  Owen,  Fulton,  New  York.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

The  Tunis  for  early  lambs  has  special  qualifications.  The  pure- 
bred or  crossbred  ewe  will  breed  at  any  season  of  the  year  and  may 
be  mated  in  spring  to  drop  lambs  in  the  fall  for  the  Christmas 
market.  The  lambs  fatten  rapidly  and  if  with  dark  faces  are  well 
suited  to  the  Eastern  market  demand.  Doubtless  their  use  for 
early  lambs  will  materially  increase. 

The  fecundity  of  the  Tunis  sheep  ranks  high.  Twins  are  fre- 
quent, and  as  the  ewes  will  breed  twice  a  year  if  desired,  the  flock 
may  be  rapidly  increased  if  physical  conditions  do  not  interfere. 

The  fleece  of  the  Tunis  sheep  is  of  special  interest.  It  is  of 
excellent  quality,  being  soft,  fine,  and  fairly  compact,  covering 
the  body  excepting  the  head  from  forehead  down,  averages  about 


THE  TUNIS  617 

three  inches  long,  and  grades  quarter-blood  and  three-eighths  comb- 
ing. One  animal  may  have  a  clear  white  fleece,  another  a  prevailing 
reddish  tint,  while  in  another  reddish  fibers  may  be  generally  inter- 
spersed among  the  white.  The  young  lambs  when  dropped  are  of - 
various  colors,  —  white,  red,  tawny,  and  mottled,  but  this  generally 
changes  to  a  uniform  color  with  maturity.  As  a  producer  of  wool 
the  Tunis  has  a  fair  degree  of  merit,  although  the  variation  in  color 
is  objectionable.  Tunis  breeders  claim  that  they  shear  from  6 
to  12  pounds,  and  Professor  Shaw  credits  them  with  7!  pounds 
wool.  In  an  address  before  the  Philadelphia  Society  for  Promot- 
ing Agriculture,  in  1810,  Judge  Peters  gave  the  average  weight  of 
the  washed  fleece  at  5  to  5!  pounds,  some  flocks  averaging  6, 
with  individuals  of  pure  blood  yielding  as  high  as  10  pounds,  and 
it  is  questionable  if  the  breed  has  changed  much  in  wool  produc- 
tion since. 

The  distribution  of  the  Tunis  sheep  is  widespread,  yet  but  few 
flocks  of  importance  exist,  with  Indiana  the  center  for  the  breed. 
Several  good  flocks  are  maintained  in  Ohio  and  New  York.  The 
Arizona  Experiment  Station  has  found  the  breed  well  suited  to 
that  section,  the  sheep  flocking  well,  being  good  grazers,  and  ap- 
parently quite  resistant  to  heat  and  the  sheep  botfly.  Some  years 
ago  Charles  Roundtree  sold  two  rams  and  six  ewes  for  export  to 
New  Zealand.  The  Tunis  has  also  been  exported  to  South  Africa 
and  Australia.  The  breed  is  perhaps  especially  well  suited  to  warm 
latitudes  and  for  that  reason  should  do  much  to  improve  the 
common  sheep  in  the  Southern  states,  especially  Florida,  Georgia, 
Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Texas. 

The  American  Tunis  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized 
in  Indiana  in  1896  for  maintaining  a  flock  book  and  promoting 
the  breed,  and  up  to  1919  has  published  three  small  flock  books. 
The  first  rule  of  the  standard  adopted  by  the  association  allows 
twenty  points  for  pedigrees  extending  back  unbroken  to  Judge 
Richard  Peters's  stock  or  to  direct  recent  importations  from  Tunis. 


CHAPTER  LVI 

THE  LEICESTER1 

The  native  home  of  the  Leicester  sheep  is  in  the  county  of  that 
name  in  central  England.  This  is  one  of  the  small  English  shires, 
comprising  8 1 3  square  miles.  The  land  is  gently  rolling,  the  soil 
fertile  to  a  more  or  less  extent,  and  wheat,  barley,  oats,  roots,  and 
grass  do  unusually  well.  It  is  a  noted  farming  section,  where  live 
stock  is  an  important  feature  of  agriculture.  The  climate  is  moist 
and  fairly  temperate  much  of  the  year. 

The  origin  of  the  Leicester  as  a  breed  is  obscure,  further  than 
that  a  long-wooled,  large,  coarse,  narrow-backed,  slow-feeding, 
leggy  type  had  been  bred  in  the  county  of  Leicester  from  time 
immemorial.  This  was  the  old  Leicester  sort. 

The  first  improvement  of  the  Leicester  began  with  Robert 
Bakewell,  who  lived  at  Dishley  Hall,  near  Loughborough,  in 
Leicestershire.  Bakewell  was  born  in  1726  and  began  to  experi- 
ment with  and  improve  the  sheep  of  his  county  just  prior  to  1760. 
He  purchased  the  best  specimens  of  the  breed  to  be  obtained  in 
the  community,  practiced  rigorous  selection,  did  much  in-and-in 
breeding,  and  finally  produced  a  remarkable  improvement,  so  that 
sheep  of  his  breeding  became  known  as  Dishley  or  Bakewell 
sheep.  He  converted  the  Leicester  into  a  broad-backed,  thick- 
fleshed,  easy-feeding,  early-maturing  breed,  with  small  bones  and 
much  less  offal  than  in  the  old  sort.  Bakewell  had  a  collection  of 
bones  and  meat  in  pickle,  which  represented  selections  from  time 
to  time  from  animals  of  his  own  breeding,  by  which  he  studied 
the  improvement  made.  Marshall,  who  lived  in  Bakewell's  time, 
stated  that  he  kept  four  points  in  view:  (i)  breed,  (2)  utility  of 
form,  (3)  quality  of  flesh,  and  (4)  propensity  to  fatten  —  the  three 
latter  depending  on  the  first.  Bakewell  attained  such  fame  in 
improving  these  sheep,  as  well  as  Longhorn  cattle  and  other 

1  The  English  pronunciation  of  this  word  is  as  though  spelled  "  Lester." 

618 


THE  LEICESTER  619 

stock,  that  he  was  often  termed  the  father  of  improved  live-stock 
husbandry.  People  visited  him  from  various  parts  of  England 
and  Europe  and  paid  him  large  sums  for  the  hire  of  his  rams, 
he  being  the  first  person  to  establish  this  custom.  An  item  in 
the  ''Annals  of  Agriculture"  in  1787  reports  him  letting  three 
rams  for  1200  guineas  ($6000)  and  that  he  had  been  offered 
1000  guineas  for  twenty  ewes  and  refused  it.  Bakewell  died  in 
1795.  The  Leicester  as  improved  by  him  retains  to-day  many 


FIG.  291.    A  Leicester  yearling  ram,  first-prize  in  class  at  the  Royal  Agricultural 

Society  of  England  Show,  1904.    Exhibited  by  E.  F.  Jordan.    From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  William  Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhamsted,  England 

of  the  original  characteristics,  though  it  may  be  somewhat  smaller 
and  more  refined.  His  method  of  close .  breeding  eventually  re- 
duced the  fecundity,  vigor,  milking  capacity  of  the  ewes,  and 
weight  of  wool.  Breeders  since  his  day  have  continued  the 
practice  of  selection  and  early  in  the  last  century  practiced  much 
in-and-in  breeding.  Two  types  of  Leicester  sheep  are  now  recog- 
nized—  one  the  ordinary  English  sort,  the  history  of  which  is 
notably  associated  with  Bakewell  and  England ;  and  the  Border 
Leicester,  an  offshoot  from  Bakewell  stock,  especially  developed 
among  the  hills  where  England  and  Scotland  have  their  boundaries. 


620  SHEEP 

In  1917  W/Ar"Brewn,  secretary  of  the  English  Leicester  Sheep 
Society,  gave  expression  to  the  following  very  pronounced  opinion1 : 

Confused  ideas  prevail  about  the  Leicester  in  the  minds  of  sheep  men  in 
several  parts  of  the  world,  where  the  breed  got  a  footing  probably  generations 
ago,  and  the  name,  but  not  the  quality,  has  ever  since  been  retained.  In 
Canada,  for  instance,  and  in  the  United  States  also,  there  are  so-called  Leices- 
ters  which  are  entirely  a  discredit  to  the  name,  as  we  in  this  country  know  the 
pure  descendants  of  our  own  home-bred  stock ;  and  confusion  is  made  worse 
confounded  in  Canada  and  also  in  the  United  States  by  the  inclusion  under 
one  head  of  Leicesters  and  Border  Leicesters.  The  same  anomalous  condition 
applies  to  Australia. 

The  introduction  of  Leicester  sheep  to  America  occurred  early 
in  the  history  of  the  United  States.  Previous  to  the  War  of  the 
Revolution  some  of  the  so-called  Dishley  or  Bakewell  sheep  were 
brought  (most  of  them  smuggled)  into  the  colonies,  especially 
New  Jersey  and  Virginia.  As  early  as  1800  the  New  Leicester 
was  known  about  Philadelphia,  though  it  was  not  of  pure  breeding. 
About  1 799  or  1 800  the  first  pure-breds  brought  to  America  were 
imported  to  Quebec,  Canada,  by  Reverend  Mr.  Toofy.  In  1806 
John  Hart  of  Cheshire,  Massachusetts,  secured  a  ram,  and  about 
1805  or  1806  Captain  Beanes  of  New  Jersey  brought  some  pure- 
bred rams  and  ewes  from  England  and  disposed  of  them  to  a 
retired  ship  captain,  George  Farmer,  living  near  New  Brunswick, 
New  Jersey.  These  Beanes  Leicesters  were  carefully  and  success- 
fully bred  and  attained  a  wide  reputation,  Captain  Farmer  selling 
some  rams  for  as  much  as  $1000  per  head.  From  New  Jersey 
and  other  states  came  a  large  demand  for  sheep  from  the  Farmer 
flock.  Miles  Smith,  a  neighbor  of  Farmer,  and  Joseph  Cooper  of 
Flemington,  New  Jersey,  also  became  prominent  breeders.  The 
craze  for  Merino  sheep,  however,  was  on  in  America  and  by  1818, 
when  Farmer  died,  there  were  no  pure  Leicesters  on  his  or  Smith's 
farm.  During  the  War  of  1812  Christopher  Dunn  established 
the.  first  pure-bred  flock  of  this  breed  in  New  York,  near  Albany, 
they  being  stock  destined  for  Canada,  but  captured  by  an  Amer- 
ican privateer.  There  were  importations  to  New  York  in  1826  by 
J.  S.  Skinner,  in  1831  by  D.  Stockdale,  and  in  1835  by  John  Baker. 
The  first  Leicesters  which  found  their  way  to  Ohio  were  brought 

1  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac  (London,  1917),  p.  145. 


THE  LEICESTER  621 

here  in  1834  by  Isaac  Maynard  of  Coshocton  County,  who  also 
brought  other  breeds  for  trial.  In  1840  Henry  Parsons  of  Massillon 
had  a  large  flock  of  breeding  ewes.  The  first  sheep  of  this  breed 
were  imported  into  Canada  about  1842. 

The  characteristics  of  the  English  Leicester  sheep.  The  head 
from  the  ears  forward  is  covered  with  a  soft  white  hair,  the  skin 
having  a  slight  bluish  tint  and  small  black  spots  often  occurring 
on  head  and  ears.  The  face  is  of  medium  length ;  the  nose  is 


FIG.  292.    Leicester  ewes  on  pasture  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  College,  Ciren- 
cester,  England.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

frequently  Roman  in  form,  with  black  skin  at  muzzle ;  and  the 
ears  are  thin,  somewhat  large,  and  delicate,  standing  more  or  less 
erect.  Neither  rams  nor  ewes  have  horns.  The  neck  tends  to  be 
short  and  is  not  much  elevated  in  carriage.  The  body  is  very  wide 
of  rib  but  often  lacks  in  depth,  the  proportion  of  breadth  to  depth 
being  striking.  The  breast  is  usually  quite  prominent,  both  in  ex- 
tension and  thickness,  and  the  hind  quarters  frequently  are  not  so 
large  as  they  should  be,  being  peaked.  The  legs  tend  to  be  long 
and  fine  of  bone,  and  the  hoofs  should  be  black.  The  tempera- 
ment is  quiet  and  gentle,  such  as  might  be  expected  with  the  large 
breeds.  Tkt  fleece  is  excellent  for  coarse  wool,  medium  long,  and 


622 


SHEEP 


lies  over  the  body  in  fine  spiral  locks.  Usually  no  wool  extends 
beyond  the  ears,  excepting  a  very  small  tuft,  and  the  legs  are  not 
commonly  wooled  below  knee  and  hock.  One  is  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  the  Leicester  is  somewhat  upstanding  or  appears  to 
lack  depth  of  rib,  as  the  case  may  be. 

The  size  of  the  Leicester  is  large,  though  this  is  the  smallest  of 
the  long- wooled  breeds.  Average-sized  mature  rams  weigh  from 
225  to  250  pounds  and  the  ewes  from  175  to  200  pounds.  Shaw 

and  Heller  state 1  that  the 
rams  usually  weigh  from 
225  to  275  pounds  and  the 
ewes  from  175  to  225 
pounds.  Volume  I  of 
the  "  American  Leicester 
Record"  credits  the  rams 
with  attaining  a  weight  of 
300  pounds  and  the  ewes 
200 to  2 50 pounds.  These, 
however,  are  outside  figures 
rather  than  fair  averages. 
The  Leicesters  as  mut- 
ton producers  do  not  rank 
high.  They  do  not  mature 
early,  and  when  mature  they 
are  too  large  for  common 

market  demands  and  unless  killed  before  twelve  months  of  age 
produce  too  fat  a  mutton.  Neither  is  the  quality  quite  equal  to  the 
best  standard.  Wrightson  states  that  the  Leicester  is  best  fattened 
when  from  twelve  to  fifteen  months  old,  when  the  carcass  weighs 
about  80  to  100  pounds.  At  three  of  the  American  Fat-Stock 
Shows  held  at  Chicago  the  following  figures  were  secured,  showing 
the  best  records  made  by  Leicester  fat  wethers : 


FIG.  293.    A  Border  Leicester  ram  owned  by 
Alexander  Cross,  Knockdon,   Maybole,   Scot- 
land.   From  photograph  by  the  author 


DAYS  OLD 


LIVE  WEIGHT 


AVERAGE  DAILY 
GAIN  FROM  BIRTH 

969 300  pounds 37  pound 

600 295  pounds 49  pound 

235 1 78  pounds 75  pound 


1 "  Domestic  Breeds  of  Sheep,"  Bulletin  94,  U,  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  1914. 


THE  LEICESTER 


623 


At  the  Smithfield  Show  (according  to  Henry,  in  "  Feeds  and 
Feeding"),  during  seventeen  years,  ending  in  1912,  59  prize- 
winning  Leicester  wethers  at  an  average  age  of  six  hundred  and 
seven  days  showed  an  average  weight  of  273  pounds  and  a  daily 
gain  of  .45  pound,  while  54  wether  lambs  at  two  hundred  and 
forty-seven  days  showed  an  average  weight  of  1 5  7  pounds  and  a 
gain  of  .64  pound.  In  the  Iowa  Station  tests  the  Leicester  did 
not  make  as  good  gains  as  Cotswold  or  Lincoln,  either  in  daily 
gain  or  cost  of  production.  The 
quality  of  the  mutton  has  been 
subject  to  criticism,  and  Coffey 
designates  it  as  tending  "  to  be 
coarse,  lacking  in  flavor,  and 
too  fat."  Lambs  in  good  condi- 
tion, however,  up  to  six  or  eight 
months  produce  very  good  cuts 
of  meat. 

Crossbred  or  grade  Leicesters 
are  regarded  with  favor  by  some 
superior  sheep  feeders.  A  com- 
pact, easy-feeding  Leicester  ram 
used  on  ewes  of  Merino  char- 
acter will  sire  sheep  of  more 
scale  and  easier-fattening  qual- 
ity than  where  Merino  rams  are 

used.  In  France  a  type  of  Leicesters  termed  "  Dishley  Merinos  " 
has  been  developed  by  using  Leicester  rams  on  a  Merino-ewe  founda- 
tion, these  sheep  now  showing  little  of  Merino  character.  In  New 
Zealand  the  Leicester  ram  on  Merino  ewes  played  an  important 
part  in  developing  the  Corriedale.  Robert  Taylor  of  Nebraska  has 
used  Leicester  rams  on  middle-wool  ewes  on  the  Western  range 
with  signal  success.  In  both  1903  and  1904  Mr.  Taylor  won  the 
grand  championship  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition 
on  carload  show  of  lambs,  these  being  a  cross  of  Leicester  rams 
on  grade  Hampshire  ewes.  In  fact,  it  is  conceded  that  crossbred 
Leicester  mutton  is  produced  more  economically,  matures  earlier, 
and  is  of  better  quality  than  the  pure-bred,  although  the  size  is 
somewhat  lessened.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note 


FIG.  294.  A  very  choice  Border  Leicester 
ram,  bred  by  J.  R.  C.  Smith  of  Leaston, 
Scotland.  It  was  sold  in  1901  for  ,£122 
($600).  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 
of  Mr.  Smith 


624  SHEEP 

that  the  Leicester  as  improved  by  Bakewell  has  served  a  most 
important  part  in  improving  some  of  the  British  breeds  in  the  days 
of  early  development,  its  blood  being  freely  used  on  the  Southdown, 
Cotswold,  Lincoln,  Shropshire,  and  Hampshire  foundations. 

The  Leicester  as  a  grazing  or  range  sheep  ranks  as  only  fair. 
Leicesters  will  not  flock  equal  to  the  Merinos.  They  require  better 
range  and  more  abundant  pasture  than  the  lighter  breeds,  are  not 
suited  to  rough  ground,  and  in  winter  lack  the  constitution  to 
withstand  roughing  it  without  shelter.  The  open  fleece  is  objec- 
tionable where  much  snow  or  cold  rain  prevails.  In  the  so-called 
corn  belt,  where  properly  protected,  with  abundance  of  roughage, 
grain,  and  roots,  this  breed  may  do  very  well. 

The  breeding  qualities  of  the  Leicester  are  only  moderate. 
None  of  the  largest  breeds  are  strongly  prolific,  and  no  doubt  the 
early  policy  of  very  close  in-and-in  breeding  followed  by  Leicester 
breeders  injured  the  fecundity  of  the  breed.  Careful  manage- 
ment will  no  doubt  secure  fair  results  and  raising  100  per  cent 
lambs  might  be  a  reasonable  estimate  under  average  conditions. 
George  Benedict  reports  1 36  per  cent  increase  in  his  Leicester  flock. 

The  Leicester  as  a  wool  producer  yields  a  fine  grade  of  braid 
or  quarter-blood  combing  wool.  Randall  states  that  after  the 
first  shearing  it  will  average  about  6  inches  long  and  will  weigh 
6  pounds.  Professor  Shaw  thinks  that  the  fleece  should  average 
from  9  to  1 1  pounds  weight,  while  the  1894  edition  of  the  "  Com- 
plete Grazier,"  by  Youatt,  places  it  at  an  average  of  7  pounds. 
George  Benedict  of  Nebraska,  a  breeder  of  pure  Leicesters,  in  1893 
wrote,  "  The  average  weight  of  fleeces  for  ten  years  is  1 1  pounds." 
The  fleece  of  the  Leicester  being  naturally  fine  and  open  weighs 
comparatively  light,  but  a  clip  of  about  10  pounds  should  be  ex- 
pected in  an  average  flock.  If  grade  Leicester  ewes  are  bred  to 
middle-  or  fine-wool  rams,  the  fleece  of  the  offspring  is  commonly 
finer,  more  compact,  and  shears  heavier  than  that  of  the  pure-bred. 

The  Border  Leicester  sheep  belong  to  the  Leicester  family,  but 
differ  from  it  in  type.  The  origin  of  the  Border  Leicester  has 
been  credited  to  the  Culley  brothers,  who  first  used  Leicester 
rams  (obtained  from  Bakewell)  on  Teeswater  ewes.  Some  authors 
have  regarded  the  Border  Leicester  as  originating  from  a  cross  of 
Leicester  rams  on  Cheviot  ewes,  the  result  of  the  cross  finally 


THE  LEICESTER 


625 


assuming  a  pure  form  of  a  variety  of  the  Leicester.  In  1767  the 
Culleys  moved  into  northern  Northumberland  to  Fenton,  near 
Wooler,  among  the  Cheviot  Hills  on  the  English  side  of  the 
border  between  England  and  Scotland.  In  this  region  they 
developed  the  Border  Leicester,  which  became  very  popular.  In 
1806  they  retired  and  their  flock  was  dispersed,  being  purchased 
by  various  breeders.  There  are  to-day  in  the  border  region  flocks 


FIG.  295.   Judging  Border  Leicesters  in  1914  at  the  Highland  and  Agricultural 
Society  Show  at  Hawick,  Scotland.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

directly  descended  from  Culley  rams.  The  Mertoun  flock  of  Lord 
Polwarth,  said  to  have  been  established  in  1 802,  had  a  continuous 
existence  for  over  a  century,  and  a  world-wide  reputation. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Border  Leicester  sheep  in  compari- 
son with  the  Bakewell  Leicester  are  interestingly  shown  by 
Professor  Wrightson  as  follows : 

The  differences  between  the  Leicester  and  Border  Leicester  are  to  be  chiefly 
seen  in  the  head,  which  in  the  Border  Leicester  is  white  and  boldly  carried, 
the  nose  slightly  aquiline,  the  muzzle  full,  the  nostrils  wide,  and  the  ears  erect. 
The  head  is  clean  and  free  from  wool,  as  is  pretty  well  shown  by  the  fact  that 
they  suffer  from  flies  settling  on  their  polls  in  summer.  The  English  Leicester, 
unless  trimmed  and  shaved  for  show,  usually  carries  a  tuft  of  wool  on  his  head, 
which  protects  it  from  flies,  and  he  is  also  wooled  in  the  shanks.  The  English 


626  SHEEP 

Leicester  has  a  bluish-white  face,  whereas  the  Border  Leicester's  face  is  clear 
white.  In  carcass  the  Border  Leicester  is  the  larger  and  longer,  and  the  belly 
is  not  quite  so  full  in  outline,  being  carried  rather  more  lightly. 

It  may  also  be  added  that  the  flesh  at  the  nose  is  black,  that  spots 
frequently  occur  in  the  white  hair  on  head  and  ear,  and  that  this 
is  a  heavier,  more  leggy  type  than  the  Bakewell  Leicester. 

Border  Leicester  rams  crossed  on  Cheviot  ewes  make  a  cross 
which  has  long  met  with  much  favor  in  the  British  market.  In 
the  hill  country  the  half-breds  and  three-quarter-breds  feed  ex- 
tremely well  on  rather  scant  fare  and  produce  a  strictly  choice 


FIG.  296.    A  group  of  Border  Leicester  yearling  rams  owned  by  J.  R.  C.  Smith, 
Scotland.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owner 

mutton.  Each  year  in  the  hill  country  between  Scotland  and 
England  large  numbers  of  crossbred  sheep  of  this  stock  find  their 
way  into  the  best  British  trade. 

The  prices  paid  for  Leicester  sheep  have  reached  very  respectable 
heights.  In  1914  a  Border  Leicester  ram  sold  in  Scotland  for 
about  $1500.  At  the  Kelso  (Scotland)  ram  sales  in  September, 
1916,  a  yearling  Border  Leicester  ram  brought  $i  1 50,  and  12  head 
brought  an  average  of  $360.  In  1916,  at  the  Little  DrefBeld  Fair 
in  England,  144  yearling  Leicester  rams  brought  prices  ranging 
from  $52  to  $136  per  head.  In  1917  J.  D.  Hay  sold  at  Ayr, 
Scotland,  1 66  Border  Leicesters  for  an  average  of  $  1 1  o  per  head, 
and  the  three-year-old  ram  King  David  brought  $850.  Finally, 
in  1919,  a  Border  Leicester  ram  sold  at  the  Kelso  auction  for 
about  $3000  (£600),  and  a  yearling  bred  by  D.  P.  Elliott  sold  to 
John  Stewart  for  about  $1400  (^280). 


THE  LEICESTER  627 

The  distribution  of  the  Leicester  is  world-wide.  Since  the  days 
of  Bakewell  it  has  been  more  or  less  distributed  over  Europe, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  Tasmania,  and  North  America.  It  is 
not  a  common  breed  to-day,  however,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  — 
even  in  England,  its  native  home.  Referring  to  present-day  flocks 
in  England  W.  A.  Brown  states 1  that  the  flocks  of  the  members 
of  the  English  society  "  are  scattered  over  six  counties  as  widely 
separated  as  Leicester  and  Cumberland,  but  the  major  portion  of 
Leicesters  are  located  in  Yorkshire."  The  lambing  season  in  1916 
in  England  was  not  a  good  one,  but  it  was  estimated  there  would 
be  about  10,000  living  lambs  of  the  breed.  There  are  numerous 
flocks  in  Canada,  and  in  1908,  of  the  nearly  20,000  pure-bred  sheep 
in  that  country,  6000  were  listed  as  Leicesters.  In  the  United 
States  there  are  but  few  of  these  sheep,  the  breed  being  mainly 
represented  in  Michigan,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  and  Oregon. 

Organizations  in  behalf  of  Leicester  sheep  date  back  consider- 
ably over  a  century.  In  the  time  of  Bakewell  the  Dishley  Society 
was  organized  to  support  this  great  breeder  in  establishing  a  new 
breed.  This  society  had  various  meetings  and  adopted  different 
resolutions.  No.  4,  passed  in  1790,  provided  that  "secrecy  be 
kept  by  all  members  respecting  the  business  of  these  meetings, 
except  to  absent  members."  Resolution  No.  13  provided  that  "  no 
member  shall  let  a  ram,  share  or  part  of  a  ram,  to  any  ram  breeder 
residing  within  thirty  miles  of  Leicester,  not  being  a  member,  who 
hired  a  ram  of  Mr.  Bakewell  last  season,  1789."  This  society 
existed  many  years  and  was  very  influential.  At  the  present  time 
there  is  a  Leicester  Sheep  Breeders'  Society  in  England,  which 
up  to  1918  had  published  twenty-six  volumes  of  flock  books. 
In  this  country  we  have  the  American  Leicester  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation, established  in  1888,  which  has  issued  ten  volumes  of 
flock  books  up  to  1918. 

The  Society  of  Border  Leicester  Sheep  Breeders  has  an  organ- 
ization in  Britain,  with  headquarters  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 
This  society  up  to  1918  had  published  twenty  volumes  of  flock 
books.  In  America  the  Border  type  is  registered  in  the  American 
Leicester  flock  book,  no  distinction  being  drawn  in  the  registra- 
tion of  the  two  types. 

1  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac  (London),  1917. 


CHAPTER  LVII 

THE  COTSWOLD 

The  name  "  Cotswold  "  is  derived  from  a  combination  of  cir- 
cumstances. In  early  times  sheep  were  folded  in  shelters  locally 
known  as  "  cots  "  or  "  cotes  "  and  were  pastured  on  the  wild,  tree- 
less hills  of  the  region,  which  were  termed  "wolds,"  from  which 
the  name  "Cotswold"  was  evolved. 

The  native  home  of  the  Cotswold  sheep  is  in  central  south- 
western England  in  the  county  of  Gloucester,1  which  has  an  area 
of  1237  square  miles.  The  river  Severn  flows  southwesterly  across 
the  county  and  into  Bristol  Channel.  The  large  city  of  Gloucester 
is  the  county  seat.  The  Cotswold  hills,  which  comprise  about 
280,000  acres,  extend  southwesterly  nearly  through  and  to  the 
southern  borders  of  the  county.  These  low  hills  are  of  variable 
soils  often  poor  in  quality,  gravelly  or  clayey  in  character,  with 
much  lime,  grow  a  short  pasturage,  and  yield  moderate  crops  of 
wheat  and  roots.  The  climate  is  moist  and  temperate,  well  suited 
to  large  sheep.  This  is  also  noted  as  a  dairy  section,  and  many 
cattle  are  kept  here. 

The  history  of  the  Cotswold  shows  it  to  be  a  very  ancient 
breed.  In  1464  King  Edward  IV  of  England,  says  Stow  in  his 
"Chronicles,"  granted  permission  "for  certain  Coteswold  sheep 
to  be  transported  into  the  country  of  Spaine,  which  have  there 
since  mightily  increased  and  multiplied  to  the  Spanish  profit." 
Marshall,  a  noted  early  writer  on  the  agriculture  of  Gloucester, 
in  1796  wrote2:  "The  Cotswolds  have  long  been  celebrated  for 
their  sheep,  which  still  remain  the  grand  object  of  the  Cotswold 
husbandry."  "  The  present  breed,"  he  writes,  "  is  a  polled,  long- 
wooled,  middle-sized  sheep,  a  breed  which  has  been  prevalent  on 
the  hills,  time  immemorial ;  it  has  been  improved,  but  has  not 
been  changed.  Hence,  it  is  probable,  the  popular  idea  of  the 

1  Pronounced  as  though  spelled  "  Gloster." 

2  W.  Marshall,  The  Rural  Economy  of  Gloucestershire.    London,  1796.   2  vols. 

628 


THE  COTSWOLD  629 

Spaniards  having  originally  procured  their  breed  of  fine-wooled 
sheep  from  the  Cots  wold  hills  has  no  foundation."  Marshall  also 
states  that  the  breed  is  light  in  front,  but  fuller  behind,  and  that 
as  Leicester  rams  are  getting  "a  firm  footing,"  they  will  fill  up 
the  fore  quarter. 

In  1842  Low  wrote  that  Cotswold  sheep  inhabited  the  district 
beyond  the  memory  of  the  living  generation.  However,  he  be- 
lieved that  this  breed  was  developed  from  a  large  type  common 
in  Warwick  and  Oxford  counties  adjoining,  which  it  in  some 
respects  resembled.  It  is  improbable  that  the  Cotswold  has  a 
long  ancestry  on  the  hills  of  Gloucester,  for  a  big  breed  of  this 
type  would  not  naturally  thrive  on  hills  comparatively  poor  in 
production.  Yet  the  region  in  which  this  sheep  developed  became 
a  noted  wool-producing  section,  dating  back  to  days  of  Roman 
conquest  in  the  second  century.  Gervase  Markham,  writing  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  referred  to  Cotswold  sheep  as  having  long 
wool  and  large  bones.  It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  breed  of 
to-day  is  much  improved  over  the  old  type,  this  improvement 
having  been  largely  secured  by  using  Leicester  rams  on  Cotswold 
ewes.  So  indiscriminately  were  they  used  between  1780  and  1820 
that  we  are  told  not  a  Cotswold  flock  was  spared.  The  Leicester 
blood  reduced  the  size  and  constitution  but  improved  the  symme- 
try, producing  better  bodies,  finer  wool,  more  quality,  and  earlier- 
maturing  sheep.  During  the  last  century  the  families  of  Smith 
of  Bibury,  Hewer  of  North  Leach,  Lane,  and  Game  by  judicious 
selection  and  some  in-and-in  breeding  materially  improved  the 
breed.  On  the  dispersion  of  the  Hewer  flock  various  breeders 
purchased  and  established  flocks  which  are  numbered  among  the 
important  ones  of  to-day  in  England. 

The  introduction  of  Cotswold  sheep  to  the  United  States  prob- 
ably first  occurred  in  1832,  when  Christopher  Dunn,  who  lived 
near  Albany,  New  York,  imported  a  ram.  In  1834  Isaac  Maynard 
of  Coshocton  County,  Ohio,  brought  the  first  Cotswolds  to  that 
state,  but  within  three  years  most  of  these  had  died. 

In  1836  J.  C.  Haviland  of  Dutchess  County,  New  York,  began 
breeding  Cotswolds,  and  continued  his  flock  many  years.  In  1837 
they  were  first  brought  to  Kentucky,  where  they  were  very  popular 
and  seemed  well  suited  to  the  conditions.  In  1840  W.  H.  Sotham 


630 


SHEEP 


imported  a  flock  of  19  to  New  York,  near  Albany,  for  which  he 
paid  $i  10  each.  This  same  year  Erastus  Corning  and  Mr.  Sotham 
made  two  large  importations  of  a  crossbred  Cotswold-New  Leicester 
sheep  from  the  Hewer  flock  at  North  Leach,  Gloucestershire. 
Along  in  the  early  forties  there  were  a  number  of  Cotswold  flocks 
in  the  Atlantic  coast  states,  where  they  met  with  favor  if  on  the 


FIG.  297.   A  Cotswold  ram,  champion  at  the  1916  Ohio  State  Fair.    Unless  pro- 
tected by  a  covering,  the  curly  foretop  of  the  Cotswold  is  worn  off,  as  in  this  case. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

more  fertile  lands.  With  the  depreciation  of  Merino  values  about 
1870-1875,  Cotswold  and  other  mutton  sheep  grew  in  favor, 
and  considerable  flocks  were  imported  and  developed  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley. 

Characteristics  of  the  Cotswold.  The  head  of  the  Cotswold  is 
a  distinguishing  feature,  being  hornless,  somewhat  long,  usually 
white  but  frequently  slightly  mixed  or  spotted  with  gray  or  brown, 
is  dark  at  the  nostrils,  broad  between  muzzle  and  eyes,  having  a 


THE  COTSWOLD  631 

tendency  to  a  Roman  nose,  and  with  curls  or  locks  over  the  fore- 
head, often  falling  to  the  nostrils.  This  forelock  is  a  distinctive 
feature  of  this  breed  and  is  not  usually  cut  off  at  shearing  time. 
The  ears  are  thick,  soft,  and  of  medium  size  for  a  large  sheep. 
The  back  carries  the  same  great  breadth  as  the  Leicester  and 
Lincoln,  though  the  body  frequently  lacks  depth  and  appears  leggy, 
especially  behind.  The  heart  girth  is  often  striking,  showing  much 
thickness.  Fream  states  that  at  a  show  some  years  ago  in  England 
two  of  the  winning  two-year-old  rams  girthed  five  feet  and  five  feet 
four  inches  respectively.  The  breed  ranks  well  in  quality,  the  bone 
being  strong  but  not  coarse,  though  heavier  than  the  Leicester, 
and  the  skin  is  naturally  a  bright  cherry  pink.  In  general  appear- 
ance Cotswolds  are  regarded  as  especially  toplofty  and  impressive. 
Professor  Wrightson  states  1 : 

The  Cotswold  was  often  described  by  the  late  Professor  Coleman,  when 
teaching  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  College  (which  is  in  the  Cotswold  district 
of  England),  as  a  sheep  which  could  "  look  over  a  hurdle,"  that  is,  carried  his 
head  high  and  well  poised  on  a  somewhat  erect  neck.  This  is  said  to  be  ac- 
companied with  a  tendency  to  be  "  ewe  necked  "  and  low  in  the  rumps,  or 
"  down  at  both  ends,"  as  I  have  heard  Professor  Coleman  repeatedly  say.  He 
knew  the  Cotswold  sheep  well,  and  was  himself  a  Cotswold  man,  so  his  opinion 
carries  weight.  These  faults  have  been  corrected  in  the  best  flocks  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  but  they  exist  in  second-rate  animals,  as  is  most  evident  in  rough 
weather,  when  the  animals  are  viewed  at  a  disadvantage. 

The  size  of  the  Cotswold  is  large,  ranking  very  close  to  the 
Lincoln  and  often  equaling  it.  A  mature  ram  in  breeding  condi- 
tion should  weigh  from  250  to  275  pounds  and  the  ewe  from  200 
to  225.  Shaw  and  Heller  give  350  pounds  for  the  ram  and  200  to 
250  for  the  ewe,  while  Coffey  places  the  weight  of  the  ram  at  275 
to  300  and  the  ewe  at  180  to  225.  The  fact  is  a  3OO-pound  sheep 
is  comparatively  large,  and  this  and  heavier  weights  are  with  rare 
exceptions  associated  with  high  condition. 

The  Cotswold  as  a  mutton  sheep  is  rather  ordinary.  Lambs  up 
to  eight  or  ten  months  of  age  produce  a  very  good  grade  of  meat, 
but  in  the  yearling  wether  or  mature  sheep  the  fiber  lacks  in  quality, 
being  long  and  coarse,  and  the  per  cent  of  external  fat  on  the 
well-fed  animals  is  too  great.  The  present-day  demand  is  for  a 

1  Sheep:  Breeds  and  Management,  p.  31.  London,  1895. 


632  SHEEP 

small  class  of  mutton,  consequently  a  sheep  of  the  Cotswold  type 
does  not  furnish  a  popular  carcass  where  small  cuts  are  wanted. 

The  Cotswold  as  a  feeder  makes  an  excellent  showing.  In 
various  reports  on  feeding  experiments  where  Cotswolds  were 
used  heavy  gains  have  been  recorded.  In  1852  Sir  John  B.  Lawes 
reported  on  important  sheep-feeding  experiments  at  Rothamsted,  in 
which  he  showed  that  between  December  I  and  April  1 7,  46  Cots- 
wold lambs  made  a  weekly  increase  per  head  of  3  pounds  2|  ounces. 
Twenty 'of  these  lambs,  fasted  weight,  dressed  out  61.48  per  cent 


FIG.  298.   A  Cotswold  ewe,  champion  at  the  1916  Ohio  State  Fair.    From  photo- 
graph by  the  author 

carcass.  In  extended  experiments  by  Dr.  Lawes  the  best  results 
were  secured  with  the  Cotswold,  which  showed  a  more  economical 
production  than  the  Leicester,  Hampshire,  Sussex,  or  crossbreds. 
At  the  Iowa  Experiment  Station,  in  two  breed  trials  with  fattening 
lambs,  the  Cotswold  "made  the  heaviest  gain,  averaging  .62  and 
.50  pound  daily  respectively,  consuming  less  dry  matter  for  a  pound 
of  gain  than  any  other  breed  in  each  trial.  In  per  cent  of  dressed 
carcass  the  Cotswold  lambs  showed  an  average  of  54.9  and  53.57 
respectively  —  just  an  average  record.  From  figures  compiled  by 
Henry  and  Morrison l  of  records  of  prize-winning  wethers  shown 
between  1895  and  1912  at  the  Smithfield  Club  Show  at  London, 

1  Feeds  and  Feeding  (1915),  p.  518. 


THE  COTSWOLD  633 

1 5  Cotswold  yearling  wethers,  averaging  six  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  days  old,  weighing  292  pounds,  made  an  average  daily  gain 
of  .46  pound  ;  while  2  5  wether  lambs  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
days  old,  weighing  1 88  pounds,  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .68 
pound.  Henry  and  Morrison  also  give  records  showing  average 
daily  gain,  from  birth,  of  fat  wethers  at  the  American  Fat-Stock 
Show  at  Chicago  from  1879  to  1882  inclusive,  in  which  yearlings 
averaged  .41  pound  daily  and  lambs  .89  pound. 

The  Cotswold  crossbred  or  grade  is  often  a  very  excellent  mut- 
ton sheep,  and  on  the  Western  range,  notably  in  Montana  and 
Idaho,  many  Cotswold  rams  have  been  used  on  grade  Merino  ewes 
to  distinct  advantage  from  both  mutton  and  wool  point  of  view. 
Professor  Hawkesworth  states l  that  for  crossing  with  the  Merino 
the  Cotswold  has  advantages  and  disadvantages.  The  advantages 
are  that  the  progeny  are  exceptionally  well  suited  for  the  frozen- 
mutton  trade,  as  the  two  types  appear  to  nick  or  blend  well  to- 
gether, producing  a  well-balanced  carcass  covered  with  a  most 
valuable  crossbred  wool  of  exceptional  quality.  He  further  says 
that  for  early  maturity  few  crossbreds  equal  this  one.  The  serious 
disadvantage  in  this  case  is  that  Merino  ewes  frequently  die  after 
dropping  the  lambs.  The  tendency  is  for  the  lamb  to  inherit  the 
large  head  of  the  Cotswold,  which  results  in  the  ewe's  giving  birth  to 
the  lamb  with  difficulty.  At  one  time  Cotswolds  were  used  exten- 
sively in  crossbreeding  in  the  Midland  counties  in  England,  but  not 
so  much  in  recent  years.  An  anonymous  English  writer  makes  the 
following  comment,2  which  is  interesting  from  a  British  viewpoint : 

These  sheep  are  great  feeders  and  become  very  fat,  and  are  in  consequence 
not  a  butcher's  sheep ;  but  when  crossed  with  other  sheep  that  suitably  nick 
with  them,  the  produce  is  remarkably  good  mutton.  This  year  rams  have  aver- 
aged 1 2  guineas  and  upwards.  They  are  much  sought  after  by  Norfolk  farmers, 
who  cross  them  with  a  Suffolk  ewe,  the  result  being  a  capital  butcher's  sheep. 
The  breed  is  also  noted  as  having  produced  a  magnificent  sheep  when  mated 
with  a  Hampshire  Down. 

The  Cotswold  as  a  grazing  sheep  ranks  high  where  pastures  are 
abundant,  but  on  hilly  or  rough  land  it  is  not  a  satisfactory  breed. 
It  does  best  on  the  fertile  plains  of  America,  where  plenty  of 

1  Alfred  Hawkesworth,  Australian  Sheep  and  Wool.    Sydney,  1906. 

2  Live  Stock  Journal  Almanac  (London),  1917. 


634 


SHEEP 


grass,  roots,  and  grain  may  be  grown.  From  its  quiet  tempera- 
ment and  heavy  weight,  like  other  long-wool  breeds,  it  may  be 
fed  to  great  advantage  on  rape  or  turnips  for  a  limited  time,  on 
restricted  areas  within  hurdles. 

The  breeding  qualities  of  the  Cotswold  are  fairly  good.  Some 
authorities  rank  the  breed  as  superior  in  this  respect.  None  of 
the  large  breeds,  however,  are  strongly  fecund,  though  they  are 
excellent  nurses  and  produce  large  lambs.  British  writers  credit 


FIG.  299.    A  Cotswold  ewe,  champion  at  the  1918  Ohio  State  Fair.    Owned  by 
P.  W.  Hintz,  Clyde,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

the  Cotswold  with  about  100  per  cent  living  lambs,  twins  being 
the  exception  rather  than  the  rule. 

The  Cotswold  as  a  wool  producer  holds  high  rank.  The  fleece 
is  of  a  lustrous  character  with  a  tendency  toward  coarseness,  and 
with  twelve  months'  growth  may  attain  a  length  of  1 2  to  1 4  inches, 
though  8  is  more  commonly  the  case.  The  fleece  is  in  somewhat 
large,  open  ringlets,  rather  than  the  finer  curl  of  the  Leicester, 
and  is  graded  on  the  market  as  braid  or  low-quarter  blood-combing 
wool.  Hawkesworth  states  that  "among  manufacturers  no  other 
strong  wool  is  held  in  such  high  estimation.  It  is  one  of  the  very 
brightest  of  the  demi-lusters,  but  is  not  considered  a  pure  luster 
like  the  Lincoln  or  Leicester.  It  is  about  the  curliest  of  the  British 
wools."  Its  great  value  lies  in  its  exceptional  silkiness,  softness, 


THE  COTSWOLD  635 

and  pliability,  which  qualify  it  to  be  spun  to  its  extreme  length. 
Many  flocks  yield  an  average  weight  of  fleece  of  over  10  pounds 
unwashed.  George  S.  Baber  of  Kentucky  for  years  kept  about  forty 
breeding  ewes  whidi  averaged  10  pounds  of  wool,  and  C.  L.  Day 
of  Wisconsin  had  a  large  flock  where  the  fleeces  averaged  about 
1 1  pounds.  Wrightson  says  that  in  "  crack  "  flocks  the  fleeces  may 
average  9!  pounds,  and  many  fleeces  have  been  shorn  weighing 
close  to  14  pounds,  but  the  latter  weight  is  exceptional. 

The  distribution  of  the  Cotswold  has  been  rather  widespread  in 
the  past.  It  has  seemed  especially  adapted  to  Gloucestershire  and 
adjoining  English  counties,  and  while  flocks  are  found  elsewhere 
the  breed  is  not  common.  It  has  been  exported  to  France,  Ger- 
many, Russia,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  Canada,  and  the  United 
States.  In  1908  about  2000  pure-bred  Cotswolds  were  recorded 
in  Canada.  In  the  United  States  the  breed  has  had  a  wide  dis- 
tribution. Late  in  the  nineteenth  century  the  Cotswold  was  a 
prominent  breed  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Kentucky,  but  to-day  these 
states  have  but  comparatively  few.  The  leading  demand  has  been 
from  the  Far  West,  and  superior  flocks  are  owned  in  Oregon, 
Washington,  and  Utah.  The  climatic  conditions  of  the  Willamette 
valley  in  Oregon  seem  especially  suited  to  the  Cotswold,  where  it 
is  most  successfully  bred. 

Prices  paid  for  Cotswolds  hold  very  good,  and  some  high  values 
have  been  reached  in  recent  years.  At  the  ram  sale  at  Salt  Lake 
City  in  1917  Mr.  Frank  Harding  of  Wisconsin  sold  to  J.  R.  Allen 
of  Utah  I  ram  for  $1000,  another  for  $750,  and  21  rams 
consigned  by  Mr.  Harding  averaged  $215  each,  while  149  stud 
and  range  rams  averaged  $81.60  each.  Five  rams  consigned  by 
J.  H.  Patrick  of  Canada  averaged  $182  each.  At  the  1918  Salt 
Lake  sale  2  rams  brought  $400  each,  and  62  head  brought  from 
$  i oo  to  $ 300  each.  One  lot  of  1 7 3  rams  consigned  by  A .  J .  Knollin 
of  Idaho  averaged  $25  per  head. 

The  promotion  of  Cotswold  sheep  is  conducted  in  England  by 
the  Cotswold  Sheep  Society,  organized  in  1892,  and  in  America 
by  the  American  Cotswold  Sheep  Association,  organized  in  1878. 
The  English  society  up  to  1916  had  published  sixteen  flock  books 
and  registered  a  large  number  of  sheep.  The  American  associa- 
tion has  published  nineteen  volumes  up  to  1919. 


CHAPTER  LVIII 
THE  LINCOLN 

The  native  home  of  Lincoln  sheep  is  in  the  county  of  Lincoln 
on  the  east  coast  of  England  by  the  North  Sea.  Lincolnshire  is 
next  to  the  largest  county  in  England,  embracing  an  area  of 
2638  square  miles.  The  city  of  Lincoln,  with  a  population  of  about 
50,000,  is  the  county  seat.  The  land  is  slightly  hilly  in  places, 
but  much  of  eastern  Lincolnshire  lies  flat  and  low,  even  below 
sea  level,  the  water  being  kept  back  by  embankments  as  in 
Holland.  The  soil  is  naturally  fertile,  and  the  lowlands  provide 
rich  pastures.  The  small  cereals,  roots,  and  grasses  are  staple 
crops.  This  county  is  noted  for  its  Lincolnshire  Red  Shorthorns 
and  Lincoln  sheep.  The  climate  is  moist  and  fairly  temperate, 
though  in  winter  the  winds  from  the  North  Sea  make  the  weather 
conditions  somewhat  rough. 

The  origin  of  the  Lincoln  dates  back  very  many  years.  There 
had  long  existed  in  Lincolnshire  a  large,  coarse  type  of  sheep, 
much  like  the  old  Leicester,  with  white  face  and  legs,  heavy  head, 
large  neck,  and  prominent  dewlap,  long  and  hollow  of  back,  with 
flat  ribs  but  good  loin  and  deep  belly.  The  skin  was  especially 
thick,  the  fleece  long  and  coarse,  the  size  very  large,  and  the  flesh 
coarse  and  inferior.  This  old-fashioned  type  was  improved  by 
the  use  of  Leicester  rams  of  the  new  sort,  such  as  Bakewell  had 
produced.  According  to  Youatt l  the  Lincolnshire  ewe  was  bred 
to  the  Leicester  ram,  and  the  progeny  showed  much  of  the 
excellence  of  the  sire.  What  became  known  as  the  improved 
Lincoln  matured  fully  a  year  earlier,  weighed  more  for  its  age 
than  the  old  Lincoln,  and  established  a  superior  reputation,  being 
much  in  demand.  This  work  of  improvement  occurred  late  in 
the  eighteenth  century.  Much  jealousy  existed  between  Leicester 
and  Lincoln  breeders  in  those  early  days.  The  story  is  told  that 
Bakewell,  the  great  improver  of  the  Leicester,  in  1788  challenged 

1  Sheep:  their  Breeds,  Management,  and  Diseases.    London,  1837. 

636 


THE  LINCOLN  637 

Mr.  Charles  Chaplin,  a  Lincoln  breeder,  who  referred  in  uncom- 
plimentary terms  to  his  Leicesters,  to  a  public  contest : 

If  you  are  still  desirous  of  a  public  exhibition,  please  to  say  if  you 
would  choose  to  send  on  the  fifth  of  July  next,  to  Lincoln  or  Leicester 
(as  there  is  a  fair  at  both  places  en  that  day),  two  rams  of  the  "  true 
Lincolnshire  long  staple,"  to  each  place,  to  be  shown  against  the  same 
number  of  the  Dishley  sort  (Leicester),  weighed  alive,  killed,  and  an  exact 
amount  given  of  the  carcasses  and  offals,  for  the  information  of  the  public. 


FIG.  300.    Dowsby  350  Guineas,  champion  Lincoln  ram  at  the  1897  show  of  the 

Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England.    Bred  by  Henry  Budding;  owned  and 

exhibited  by  S.  E.  Dean  &  Sons,  Dowsby  Hall,  Folkingham,  England.    From 

photograph  by  the  author 

Mr.  Chaplin  refused  to  make  the  exhibition.  During  the  past 
century  the  Lincoln  has  undergone  a  steady  improvement  among 
the  breeders  of  Lincolnshire.  In  1858  Robert  Smith  wrote1  that 
the  leading  ram  breeders  of  the  day  were  the  Messrs.  Clarkes, 
Kirkham,  Casswell,  Richardson,  Chaplin,  Gilliott,  Torr,  Abraham, 
Lynn,  and  others.  The  Budding  family  of  Riby  Grove,  Great 
Grimsby,  Lincolnshire,  was  especially  famous  and  bred  these  sheep 
for  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years,  the  last  member 
of  the  family  —  Henry  Budding,  the  greatest  of  modern  Lincoln 
breeders  —  dispersing  his  flock  in  1913. 

The  introduction  of  Lincoln  sheep  to  America  dates  back  over  a 
century.    Prior  to  1796  it  is  stated  that  some  of  the  old  Lincoins 

1  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agrictiltural  Society  of  England,  Vol.  XIX,  p.  383. 


638  SHEEP 

were  taken  to  Massachusetts,  but,  not  thriving  on  the  hills,  were 
generally  abandoned.  In  1825,  however,  A.  A.  Lawrence  of  the 
same  state  "imported  6  Southdowns  and  10  Lincolnshires."  In 
1829  Mr.  Pickering,  also  of  Massachusetts,  imported  2  rams 
and  2  ewes.  It  is  reported  that  during  the  ocean  voyage  a  fleece 
of  19  pounds  was  removed  from  one  of  the  rams.  In  1834 
Isaac  Maynard  brought  the  first  Lincolns  to  Ohio  from  the  East. 
At  Buffalo  it  is  said  he  was  offered  $500  for  his  Lincoln  ram.  In 
1836  Leonard  D.  Clift  of  Carmel,  New  York,  imported  some 
Lincolns.  One  pair  was  sold  to  go  to  Virginia  and  another  to 
Ohio  for  $250  each.  Later  importations  were  made  by  Mr.  Clift. 
The  Lincoln  has  since  then  been  brought  occasionally  to  the 
United  States,  though  in  but  a  small  way. 

Characteristics  of  Lincoln  sheep.  The  color  of  the  Lincoln  is 
white,  although  the  face  frequently  has  a  grayish  or  mottled  color 
along  the  bridge  of  the  nose.  The  head  is  large  and  hornless, 
often  broad  between  muzzle  and  eyes,  tending  to  Roman  character  ; 
the  ears  are  large  and  broad  and  are  dotted  or  mottled  in  color. 
The  Lincoln  has  a  very  broad,  level  back,  is  covered  with  a  firmer 
flesh  than  the  Leicester,  and  shows  a  greater  comparative  depth 
of  rib  than  that  breed,  not  appearing  so  leggy.  The  rump  is 
broad  and  level,  and  the  hind  quarter  of  a  thick,  meaty  character, 
as  a  rule,  and  when  heavily  fed  this  is  often  patchy.  The  legs  are 
in  suitable  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  body,  but  appear  rather 
large  and  coarse.  The  sheep  in  general  appearance  impresses  one 
as  massive.  The  wool  covering  is  in  rather  coarse  spirals  or  curly 
locks  which  naturally  part  along  the  back  and  hang  down  to  con- 
siderable length  on  the  sides.  A  short  foretop,  or  group  of  locks, 
occurs  in  good  specimens  of  the  breed,  more  than  with  Leicesters 
and  less  than  with  Cotswolds. 

The  size  of  the  Lincoln  represents  the  largest  of  the  British 
breeds  of  sheep,  though  Wallace  states  that  it  does  not  exceed 
the  Cotswold.  The  author  has  seen  a  Wensleydale  ram  that  was 
comparable  with  the  larger  Lincoln.  The  average  Lincoln,  how- 
ever, probably  weighs  heavier  than  does  the  average  of  any  other 
breed.  Rams  of  this  breed  sometimes  attain  a  weight  of  nearly 
400  pounds,  and  when  in  good  flesh  will  easily  weigh  300,  while 
the  ewes  average  close  to  275  pounds  when  mature.  The  standard 


THE  LINCOLN 


639 


of  excellence  of  the  National  Lincoln  Sheep  Association  specifies 
that  matured  rams  should  weigh  not  less  than  250  pounds  when 
in  good  condition,  and  ewes  in  similar  age  and  condition  not  less 
than  200  pounds.  Shaw  and  Heller  give  250  to  375  pounds  for 
the  ram  and  225  to  275  pounds  for  the  ewe,  while  Coffey  gives 
300  and  250  pounds  respectively  for  ram  and  ewe  in  breeding 
condition.  Professor  Wrightson,  in  comparing  with  the  Leicester, 


FIG.  301.    Gibson's   155-10858,  grand-champion   Lincoln  ram  at  the   Louisiana 

Purchase  Exposition,  1904.    Owned  and  exhibited  by  J.  T.  Gibson,  Denfield, 

Ontario.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

says  that  "  in  size  the  Lincoln  is  greatly  superior,  and  he  may  be 
credited  with  being  the  heaviest  sheep  of  the  British  Isles,  having 
been  known  to  attain  a  weight  of  90  pounds  per  quarter." 

The  quality  of  Lincoln  mutton  does  not  rank  high.  The  size 
is  too  large,  too  much  fat  is  produced,  and  the  flesh  rtends  to 
coarseness  of  fiber.  All  things  considered,  the  Lincoln  cannot  be 
regarded  as  the  equal  of  any  of  the  Down  breeds  in  the  quality 
of  its  mutton.  When  killed  during  the  lamb  season,  especially 
from  eight  to  ten  months  of  age,  a  more  acceptable  class  of  meat 
is  produced.  Wrightson,  however,  regards  the  Lincoln  as  produc- 
ing a  firmer  flesh  than  the  Leicester.  The  carcass  dresses  out 


640  SHEEP 

very  well,  but  the  per  cent  of  fat  and  bone  is  too  great  to  suit  the 
modern  trade.  There  is  too  much  waste  for  the  average  housewife. 

The  Lincoln  as  a  feeder  makes  a  creditable  showing.  In  feeding 
experiments  at  the  Iowa  Experiment  Station,  Lincoln  wether 
lambs  in  one  trial  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .55  pound  and 
in  another  trial  of  .46  pound.  The  price  paid  for  the  carcass 
was  $4.50  and  $5.25  per  hundred  compared  with  $4.75  and  $5.75 
respectively,  the  highest  price  paid.  The  Lincolns  dressed  out 
55.7  and  51.08  per  cent  in  the  carcass,  which  was  about  an  aver- 
age of  the  breeds  tested.  Comparatively  few  feeding  experiments 
with  Lincolns  are  recorded.  In  the  report  on  the  prize-winning 
wethers  at  the  Smithfield  Club  Show,  compiled  by  Henry  and 
Morrison,  covering  the  years  1895  to  1912  inclusive,  48  Lincoln 
wether  lambs,  averaging  two  hundred  and  ninety  days  old,  weigh- 
ing 209  pounds  each,  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .72  pound ; 
while  55  yearling  wethers,  averaging  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  days  old,  weighing  334  pounds,  made  an  average  daily  gain 
of  .52  pound.  This  record  of  daily  gain  for  both  ages  surpassed 
each  of  the  other  thirteen  breeds  reported  on.  These  figures 
clearly  indicate  the  capacity  of  the  Lincoln  as  a  feeder  and  also 
show  to  what  size  the  wether  may  be  fed.  To  do  as  well  as  these 
reports  indicate  he  must  be  fed  in  a  generous  manner  the  best 
of  food,  with  concentrates  and  succulents  suitably  represented. 
Hawkesworth  comments  on  this  point  and  says  if  feed  is  scarce 
the  Lincoln  loses  weight  rapidly,  and  when  in  low  condition  is  an 
expensive  animal  to  put  in  good  condition. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Lincoln  is  to-day  an  important  factor 
in  the  British  mutton  market.  A  large  number  of  Lincoln  rams 
are  used  on  the  common  ewes  of  Argentina  or  on  the  grade  Merino 
ewes  of  Australia.  A  visit  to  the  yards  at  Birkenhead,  England, 
about  1900,  where  shiploads  of  live  sheep  were  received  from 
Argentina,  showed  the  prevalence  of  Lincoln  blood.  These  crosses 
or  grades  made  a  big,  growthy  lamb  which  fattened  easily  and 
furnished  a  large  chop  or  leg  of  mutton  more  acceptable  in  the 
English  than  in  the  American  market.  Hawkesworth  says  that 
the  Lincoln  and  Merino  make  a  really  good  serviceable  cross  and 
a  suitable  mutton  for  export,  and  many  who  have  kept  to  that  style 
of  breeding  have  found  good  results  in  both  carcass  and  wool. 


THE  LINCOLN 


641 


Much  of  the  Lincoln  coarseness  is  lost  in  the  cross,  the  off- 
spring producing  fairly  fine-grained  and  succulent  meat.  The  fat 
is  more  evenly  distributed  than  in  the  pure-bred  and  not  so  massed 
in  a  few  places ;  the  flesh  is  of  a  nice  flavor ;  while  the  wool 
is  one  of  the  most  serviceable  crossbreds  going  into  the  market. 
Mr.  Herbert  Gibson  gives  an  interesting  statement1  regarding 
extensive  crossbreeding  in  Argentina  in  which  both  mutton  and 


'Fie.  302.    A  Lincoln  ewe,  first  prize  in  class  at  the  Ohio  State  Fair,  1905.    Owned 
and  exhibited  by  J.  R.  Bickett,  Xenia,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

wool  were  considered.  In  1863  five  thousand  Pampas  ewes  were 
selected  and  bred  to  Lincoln  rams.  These  ewes  were  descended 
from  long-wooled  Spanish  sheep  taken  to  South  America  during 
the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  They  had  white  faces, 
thin  long  legs,  and  long,  lusterless  coarse  wool.  "  The  experiment 
was  in  every  respect  a  successful  one.  The  cross-Pampas  soon 
grew  to  the  large  body  and  luster  wool  of  the  Lincoln.  The 
ewes  were  prolific  and  excellent  mothers,  and  the  race  hardy  to 
a  degree ;  they  were  kindly  fatteners  and  easily  shepherded." 

1  The   History  and  Present   State  of  the   Sheep-Breeding  Industry  in  the 
Argentine  Republic,  1893. 


642  SHEEP 

This  cross  and  their  grades  were  continued  with  substantial  satis- 
faction, many  thousand  ewes  being  bred.  Lincoln  rams  have  been 
used  to  some  extent  on  Merino  grade  ewes  on  our  Western 
ranges,  yet  not  in  a  large  way.  • 

The  Lincoln  as  a  grazing  sheep  is  best  adapted  to  moderately 
dry  upland  meadows,  where  food  is  abundant.  In  the  hill  coun- 
try the  breed  has  never  made  a  success  and  has  not  secured 
a  foothold.  Some  English  writers  have  called  attention  to  the 


FIG.  303.    A  Lincoln  ram  from  New  Zealand  exhibited  in  1915  at  the  Panama- 
Pacific  Exposition.     Such    a    curly    foretop    is    unusual  with  this  breed.    From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

eminent  fitness  of  the  Lincoln  to  the  meadows  of  Lincolnshire, 
but  further  note  the  fact  that  they  soon  deteriorate  in  most  other 
parts  of  England.  In  Argentina,  where  great  pastures  of  superior 
quality  exist,  Lincolns  have  long  met  with  much  favor. 

The  breeding  quality  of  the  Lincoln  is  not  of  the  first  rank. 
The  ewes  are  good  mothers  but  produce  only  a  fair  amount  of 
milk  and  are  not  of  more  than  average  fecundity. 

The  Lincoln  as  a  wool  producer  is  of  special  interest.  No  breed 
probably  furnishes  so  long  a  fleece.  Wrightson  reports  samples 
of  Lincoln  wool  in  his  possession  21  inches  long.  The  standard 


THE  LINCOLN  643 

of  the  National  Lincoln  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  requires  a 
growth  of  at  least  8  inches  of  fleece  during  one  year.  The  weight 
of  the  fleece,  which  is  naturally  coarse  and  grades  as  a  braid  or 
low  quarter-blood,  may  in  the  case  of  a  ram  reach  30  pounds.  The 
average  weight  of  fleeces  on  Lincoln  wether  lambs  in  the  Iowa 
feeding  experiments  was  12.9  and  10.4  pounds  respectively,  the 
heaviest  of  the  ten  breeds  under  trial.  A  mature  ewe  should  pro- 
duce close  to  15  pounds  and  a  ram  18  to  20  pounds.  In  fineness 
of  quality  this  ranks  slightly  better  than  the  Leicester.  Compared 
with  the  Leicester  fleece  it  is  longer,  is  in  larger  spirals  or  curls, 
and  covers  the  belly  better.  Wrightson  states  that  the  wool  is  very 
bright  and  lustrous  when  shorn,  giving  the  name  "  luster  wool." 
This  feature,  however,  disappears  when  the  sheep  are  bred  away 
from  their  native  county.  The  massing  of  the  wool  in  flakes  or 
strands  upon  the  animal  is  characteristic  of  the  breed,  but  the  fiber 
is  hairlike  and  "  lashy  "  if  separated  and  compared  with  the  fiber 
of  Merino  wool. 

Professor  Hawkesworth l  writes  : 

Lincoln  wool  is  made  into  fabrics  of  various  descriptions  and  designs,  all  of 
a  heavy,  smooth  nature,  many  of  which  are  dyed  into  most  delicate  shades,  for 
which  only  the  best  of  lusters  are  suitable  on  account  of  their  great  reflective 
power,  a  quality  possessed  by  the  Lincoln  beyond  any  other  breed  except  the 
Leicester,  the  wool  of  which  is  very  similar  in  this  respect.  Such  goods  as 
damasks,  reps,  russell-cords,  braids,  lastings*,  linings,  camlets,  furniture  cloths, 
serges,  boot  laces,  buntings,  and  even  dolls'  hair,  are  made  of  Lincoln  wool. 

The  prices  paid  for  Lincolns  have  run  into  sensational  figures. 
Since  the  South  Americans  and  Australians  began  to  purchase 
rams  for  home  trade  high  prices  have  ruled.  The  ram  sales  of 
Lincolnshire  have  attracted  world-wide  attention,  especially  those 
of  Henry  Budding  of  Riby  Grove,  Great  Grimsby.  During  four- 
teen years  Mr.  Dudding  had  sold,  writes  G.  T.  Burrows,2  654  rams 
for  $202,508,  giving  an  average  of  about  $306.  The  individual 
prices  have  ranged  from  $7414  to  $17.  Four  hundred  and  forty- 
two  ewes  in  the  fourteen  years  have  averaged  $40  per  head. 
The  1906  sale  at  Riby  Grove  was  a  notable  one.  One  ram  sold 
for  .£1522  ioj.  ($7414).  In  all  56  yearling  rams  realized  over 

1  Australian  Sheep  and  Wool.    Sydney,  1906. 

2  Breeders'  Gazette,  September  18,  1912. 


644 


SHEEP 


$42,000,  or  brought  an  average  of  over  $750.  In  1909  one 
ram  brought  about  $3000.  Owing  to  the  death  of  Mr.  Dudding 
the  Riby  Grove  flock  was  dispersed  in  1913,  on  which  occasion  the 
ram  Riby  Bristol  Champion  brought  $3000  and  139  yearling  rams 
averaged  about  $233  each.  In  1918,  at  the  Lincoln  ram  sales, 
A.  W.  Dean  of  Dowsby  Hall,  Bourne,  purchased  1 1  stud  rams  at 
an  average  price  of  $800  each  for  service  in  his  own  flock.  How- 
ever, he  later  sold  these  to  go  to  Buenos  Aires  for  the  record 
price  of  $1650  each,  one  of  these  rams  bringing  $6250.  The 

highest  prices  paid  in  the 
United  States  for  Lincolns, 
up  to  1918,  occurred  in 
1 9 1 7  at  the  Salt  Lake  City 
sale,  when  an  imported  ram 
soldfor$6sotoA.D.Blod- 
gett  of  Colorado.  One  ram 
was  also  sold  for  $550  to 
the  Butterfield  Live  Stock 
Company  of  Idaho,  and  an- 
other for  $550  to  Austin 
Brothers  of  Utah.  Twenty- 

FIG.  304.   A  Lincoln  ewe  lamb  of  very  superior      one     rams     Consigned     by 
character    at    the    1904    show    of  .the    Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  England.    Her  fleece 
swept    the    ground.      From    photograph    by 
H.  B.  Arbuckle,  by  courtesy  of  the  Arational 


Stockman   and  Farmer 


Anoka  Farms  of  Wiscon- 
sin averaged  $195.71. 

The  distribution  of  the 
Lincoln  sheep  is  very  wide- 
spread. In  Britain  it  is 

largely  limited  to  Lincolnshire  and  adjoining  east  counties  in 
England,  but  it  has  been  extensively  imported  to  the  British 
colonies  and  to  South  America  and  Canada.  Herbert  Gibson 
states  that  in  1862  one  Lincoln  ram  was  shipped  to  his  father, 
Thomas  Gibson,  on  the  Yngleses  estancia  in  Argentina;  in  1863 
a  large  number  were  imported,  followed  by  two  lots  in  1864  and 
successive  importations  each  year  after.  A  very  large  per  cent  of 
the  67,000,000  sheep  in  Argentina  about  1910  are  said  to  have 
been  pure  Lincolns  or  crosses  of  this  breed.  From  October  I, 
1912,  to  September  30,  1913,  there  were  exported  from  England 
2400  rams  and  ewes  as  follows:  1728  rams  and  468  ewes  to 


THE  LINCOLN  645 

South  America,  1 1 1  to  Australia,  60  to  Russia,  1 6  to  Spain, 
10  to  Holland,  4  each  to  Italy  and  New  Zealand,  3  to  Canada, 
and  i  to  South  Africa.  During  the  first  nine  months  of  1916 
there  were  exported  1709  rams  to  Argentina.  This  gives  one 
an  idea  of  the  wide  distribution  of  the  breed.  In  1908  it  was 
reported  that  4000  pure-bred  Lincolns  were  registered  in  Canada, 
and  mainly  in  Ontario.  In  the  United  States  the  Lincoln  has  had 
a  rather  modest  development.  There  are  good  flocks  in  Ohio  and 
Michigan,  but  the  breed  seems  to  meet  with  most  favor  in  Oregon, 
Idaho,  and  Montana,  doing  especially  well  in  the  Willamette  valley 
in  Oregon,  where  the  climatic  conditions  seem  especially  favorable. 
The  promotion  of  Lincoln  sheep  in  an  official  way  first  began  in 
1891  with  the  organization  in  the  United  States  of  the  National 
Lincoln  Sheep  Breeders'  Association.  This  organization  has  pub- 
lished but  few  flock  books.  The  Lincoln  Long  Wool  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  with  headquarters  in  Lincolnshire,  England, 
was  organized  in  1892. 


CHAPTER  LIX 

THE  ROMNEY  MARSH 

The  native  home  of  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep  is  in  the  county 
of  Kent  in  southeastern  England,  where  it  is  also  known  as  the 
Kent  breed.  Kent  has  an  area  of  1520  square  miles,  and  on  the 
north  is  bordered  by  the  river  Thames  and  the  North  Sea  and  on 
the  east  by  the  latter  body  of  water.  This  is  a  fertile  agricultural 
county,  famous  for  its  hop  fields,  with  an  undulating  surface  in 
part,  but  with  much  low  land.  The  district  known  as  Romney 
Marsh  is  located  in  southeast  Kent  and  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Sussex.  The  land  is  about  level  with  the  sea,  from  which  it  is 
protected  by  sea  walls  built  centuries  ago.  "The  soil  is  usually  a 
deep  alluvial  clay  interspersed  with  portions  of  infertile  sand  or 
gravel,"  says  Wrightson,  "  and  the  area  is  traversed  by  wide  ditches 
full  of  water;"  This  region  is  sparsely  settled  and  is  largely 
devoted  to  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep ;  here  they  are  kept  in  large 
numbers,  grazing  in  the  summer  on  the  rich  pastures.  The  climate 
is  moist  and  comparatively  mild. 

The  early  type  of  Romney  Marsh  was  rather  comparable  with 
other  breeds  in  being  deficient  in  rib,  heavy  of  bone,  long  of  leg, 
and  coarse  of  wool.  Very  little  is  known  of  the  early  history  of 
the  breed,  but  it  seems  evident  that  in  the  first  part  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  Leicester  blood  was  extensively  used,  though  not 
with  special  success.  Leicesters  reduced  the  size  and  constitution, 
although  improving  the  form  and  maturing  qualities. 

In  1855,  referring  to  these  sheep,  Professor  Wilson  thus  de- 
scribes the  breed : 

The  head  and  legs  are  white ;  the  head  long  and  broad,  with  a  tuft  of  wool 
on  forehead  ;  no  horns ;  neck  long  and  thin  ;  breast  narrow  with  moderate  fore 
quarters;  the  body  long  with  flattish  sides  and  sharp  chine;  loins  wide  and 
strong ;  the  belly  large ;  thighs  broad  and  thick  ;  and  legs  and  feet  large, 
with  coarse  bone  and  muscle.  They  are  very  hardy  and  are  well  adapted  for 
the  bleak  and  exposed  district  of  the  Romney  Marshes.  They  also  bear  stock- 
ing closer  than  other  breeds,  as  it  is  not  unusual  to  see  six  or  eight  fattening 

646 


THE  ROMNEY  MARSH 


647 


sheep  placed  to  the  acre.  The  improved  breed  produces  sheep  ready  for 
market  at  from  two  to  three  years  old,  weighing  from  120  to  140  pounds. 
The  fleece  is  valuable,  weighing  on  the  average  8  pounds. 

The  modern  type  of  Romney  Marsh  sheep  is  a  decided  improve- 
ment over  the  breed  as  described  by  Wilson.  The  head  is  white 
and  hornless,  with  a  broad,  aquiline  nose,  and  a  thick  foretop  of  wool 
is  common,  although  often  lacking.  The  flesh  at  the  nose  is  black. 
The  ears  are  large  and  thick.  Careful  selection  and  breeding 


FIG.  305.  A  Romney  Marsh  ram,  first  prize  in  class  at  the  1904  show  of  the  Royal 
Agricultural  Society  of  England.  Owned  and  exhibited  by  Charles  File.  From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William  Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhamsted,  England 

has  reduced  the  size  somewhat,  but  has  produced  a  sheep  more 
compact  of  frame  and  more  easily  fattened  than  the  old  sort.  The 
back  is  broader,  the  ribs  are  longer,  the  coupling  shorter,  and  the 
leg  of  mutton  heavier  and  of  excellent  quality.  In  the  improve- 
ment of  the  breed  the  fleece  has  been  refined  to  a  marked  degree. 
The  adaptability  of  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep  to  low-lying  lands 
has  caused  it  to  be  regarded  with  favor  in  eastern  England  and 
in  some  other  sections,  for  it  seems  freer  from  foot  rot  and  liver 
fluke  than  most  breeds ;  in  fact,  it  is  claimed  that  this  breed  on 
Romney  Marshes  is  not  affected  with  foot  rot  at  all. 


648 


SHEEP 


The  size  of  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep  gives  it  a  second-class 
rating  among  the  large  breeds,  the  mature  rams  weighing  about 
225  to  250  pounds  and  the  ewes  from  175  to  200  pounds.  A 
New  Zealand  standard  adopted  in  1916  assigned  240  pounds  as 
a  very  acceptable  weight  for  the  ram. 

The  quality  of  Romney  Marsh  mutton  is  superior  to  that  of  the 
other  long  wools,  being  less  coarse  and  more  comparable  with  the 

heavier  Down  breeds, 
such  as  the  Hampshire 
and  Oxford.  The  fat 
is  more  evenly  distrib- 
uted and  the  bone  is 
finer  than  in  the  case  of 
Lincoln  or  Cotswold. 
The  Romney  Marsh 
as  a  feeder  ranks  very 
high  on  its  native 
marshes,  where  it  has 
held  popular  favor  for 
a  long  period  of  time. 
Here  the  use  of  grain 
is  the  exception  and 
not  the  rule.  In  Ar- 
gentina it  has  proved  a 
very  excellent  feeder 
on  the  low-lying  mead- 


FIG.  306.  A  Romney  Marsh  ram,  champion  in  1915 
at  the  Panama-Pacific  Exposition,  San  Francisco. 
Exhibited  by  R.  Matthews,  Featherston,  New  Zea- 
land. From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American 
Sheep  Breeder 


ows  of  that  country,  and 
in  New  Zealand  it  has 
been  received  with  special  favor  where  low  lands  are  common.  At  the 
Smithfield  Club  Show  between  1895  and  1912,  quoting  Henry  and 
Morrison,  65  yearling  wethers,  averaging  six  hundred  and  six  days 
old,  showed  a"n  average  weight  of  267  pounds,  with  a  daily  gain 
of  .44  pound,  while  73  lambs  weighing  160  pounds  at  two  hundred 
and  fifty  days  old  made  an  average  gain  of  .64  pound  a  day. 

The  crossbred  Romney  Marsh  sheep,  with  Merino  blood  on  the 
dam's  side,  have  proved  very  satisfactory  in  Australia.  Hawkes- 
worth  states 1  that  few  crosses  give  equal  results  and  none  better, 

1  Australian  Sheep  and  Wool,  1906. 


THE  ROMNEY  MARSH  649 

both  as  a  mutton  and  a  wool-bearing  sheep,  while  for  exporting 
frozen  carcasses,  "  they  are  almost  an  ideal  sheep  —  useful  weights, 
about  60  pounds  as  hoggets  [wether  lambs] ;  joints  well  balanced 
and  plump ;  fat  not  excessive,  is  well  distributed,  and  the  flesh 
has  an  agreeable  flavor." 

The  fleece  of  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep  is  long  and  compact 
and  more  refined  than  the  Leicester,  grading  as  low  quarter-blood 
combing.  It  is  hardly  a  braid  or  long  wool,  yet  it  seems  closely 
related  to  it.  Hawkesworth  states  that  Romney  Marsh  wool  is  not 
understood  in  Australia,  the  mistake  being  that  it  resembles  Lin- 
coln or  Leicester.  He  classes  it  as  a  demi-luster  wool  with  a  com- 
manding length  and  an  undulating  crimp,  much  finer  than  the 
Leicester,  and  "  of  a  fine,  soft  nature."  It  is  suggested  that  the 
thigh  wool  should  be  improved  in  quality.  The  unwashed  fleeces 
of  twelve  months'  growth  should  weigh  about  12  to  14  pounds. 

The  .prices  paid  for  Romney  Marsh  sheep  have  attained  high 
levels.  In  1911  A.  J.  Hickman,  a  prominent  dealer  and  breeder, 
stated  that  up  to  1905  the  record  price  for  a  Romney  Marsh  ram 
was  $280,  whereas  in  1910  his  whole  consignment  averaged  $242, 
the  highest  average  that  year  for  any  breed  sold  in  Great  Britain. 
Between  1906  and  1911  "many  Romney  rams  have  topped  the 
$500  mark.  One  ram  made  $1300  to  a  South  American  breeder 
this  year,  and  another  made  $1500  to  go  to  New  Zealand."1 
J.  E.  Quested  sold  24  rams  at  the  1917  Ashford  sale  for  an 
average  of  $315,  one  bringing  $1050.  All  told,  at  this  sale,  284 
rams  of  the  breed  averaged  $160.  In  1919,  at  the  Ashford  ram 
sale  in  Kent,  one  ram  brought  $5000  and  was  later  sold  to  go  to 
Buenos  Aires  for  $8000. 

The  distribution  of  the  Romney  Marsh  sheep  in  England  is 
essentially  restricted  to  the  southeastern  section,  more  espe- 
cially Kent  and  Sussex.  In  1856  Robert  Gibson  visited  Romney 
Marsh  district  and,  noting  its  similarity  to  the  Tuyu  lands  of  Ar- 
gentina, made  a  small  importation.  Since  this  time  many  sheep 
of  the  breed  have  been  sent  to  South  America  from  England. 
Romney  Marsh  sheep  are  popular  in  parts  of  Australia  and  New 
Zealand,  and  many  have  been  exported  to  these  countries,  as  well 
as  to  South  Africa.  These  sheep  are  almost  unknown  in  North 

1  American  Sheep  Breeder,  December,  1911. 


650  SHEEP 

America.  In  1904  William  Riddell  and  Sons  of  Oregon  imported 
i  ram  and  4  ewes  from  England.  These  were  exhibited  at  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  at  St.  Louis  the  same  year,  but  were 
not  looked  upon  with  favor,  not  being  regarded  as  good  specimens 
of  the  breed.  In  1906  the  Wyoming  Experiment  Station  imported 
i  ram  and  3  ewes.  Again  in  1909  Riddell  and  Sons  made  an  im- 
portation, this  time  of  i  ram  and  1 1  ewes  from  New  Zealand,  since 
which  this  firm  has  made  two  other  importations,  all  three  coming 


FIG.  307.  A  pair  of  Romney  Marsh  ewes  exhibited  in  1915  at  the  Panama- 
Pacific  International  Exposition.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American 

Sheep  Breeder 

from  the  flock  of  E.  Short.  In  1909  A.  J.  Hickman  of  Kent, 
England,  sent  32  rams  to  America,  which  were  not  well  received. 
At  present  there  are  but  few  of  these  sheep  in  the  United  States. 

The  promotion  of  Romney  Marsh  sheep  in  England  is  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Kent  or  Romney  Marsh  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  with  headquarters  in  London.  This  association  has 
published  twenty-four  volumes  of  flock  books  up  to  1919. 

On  December  5,  1911,  the  American  Romney  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association  was  organized  at  Chicago,  the  late  J.  E.  Wing  being 
its  main  promoter  and  its  first  secretary.  This  organization  up  to 
1919  had  registered  but  few  sheep  and  published  no  flock  book. 


CHAPTER  LX 

THE  BLACK-FACED  HIGHLAND 

The  native  home  of  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  is  the  more 
elevated  sections  of  Scotland,  especially  in  the  counties  of  Perth 
and  Dumbarton  in  what  is  known  as  the  Highlands,  not  far  re- 
moved from  the  city  of  Glasgow.  The  higher  altitudes  here  reach 
nearly  four  thousand  feet,  and  on  these  rough,  bleak,  heather- 
topped  summits  the  Black-faced  Highland  is  found  in  his  element. 
This  is  a  region  that  is  sparsely  settled,  the  winters  are  severe  and 
cold,  snow  is  abundant,  and  these  sheep  exist  at  times  under  very 
rigorous  conditions,  such  as  require  the  hardiest  of  constitutions. 

The  origin  of  the  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  is  veiled  in 
obscurity.  Theories  have  been  advanced,  but  whence  the  breed 
originated,  says  Scott,1  has  not  been  revealed  in  any  of  the  his- 
torical records.  It  has  been  claimed  that  the  breed  is  native  to 
the  country,  that  it  was  introduced  into  Ettrick  Forest  in  1503 
by  James  IV  of  Scotland,  that  "  dun-faced  "  sheep  were  imported 
into  Scotland  from  Denmark  or  Norway  at  a  very  early  period, 
and  that  they  came  from  the  ships  of  the  Spanish  Armada  wrecked 
on  the  coast  of  Scotland  in  1588.  Scott  believes  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  this  is  the  oldest  breed  known  in  Great  Britain.  The  in- 
troduction of  these  sheep  into  the  Highlands  is  definitely  known  to 
have  taken  place  close  to  1750,  and  they  were  taken  to  the  West 
Highlands  about  1762  by  a  Mr.  Campbell,  who  at  one  time  lived 
in  Ayrshire.  Early  in  the  nineteenth  century  the  Cheviot  grew 
greatly  in  popularity  in  the  Highlands,  but  about  1 860  the  snows 
were  unusually  severe,  and  these  sheep  suffered  severely  on  the 
higher  elevations,  while  the  Black-faced  sheep  proved  more  hardy 
and  thereafter  supplanted  the  Cheviots  on  the  more  exposed 
uplands.  This  is  the  case  at  the  present  time  —  the  Cheviots 
occupying  the  grass-covered  hills  of  the  Border  country  rather 
than  the  rougher,  heather-coated  Highlands  farther  north. 

1  John  Scott,  Black-faced  Sheep.    Edinburgh,  1888. 
651 


652 


SHEEP 


The  introduction  of  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  to  America  first 
occurred  in  June,  1861,  Hugh  Brodie  importing  i  ram  and  2  ewes 
for  Brodie  and  Campbell,  New  York  Mills,  New  York.  In  1 867  this 
flock  and  its  increase  was  purchased  by  T.  L.  Harison  of  Morley, 
St.  Lawrence  County,  New  York.  Isaac  Stickney  of  New  York  also 
imported  a  small  flock  about  1867  for  his  farm  in  Illinois.  Since 
then  an  occasional  importation  has  been  made,  especially  by  wealthy 
men  for  country  estates  in  the  East.  In  1913  Alexander  Mowat  of 


FIG.  308.  A  Black-Faced  Highland  ram.  Frequently  the  wool  sweeps  the  ground, 
completely  covering  the  legs.  From  photograph  secured  by  the  author  in  Scotland 

Scotland  wrote  the  Breeders  Gazette  that  two  lots  of  Black-faced 
Highland  sheep  were  being  exported  to  America  for  foundation 
flocks,  one  for  New  York  and  one  for  Massachusetts,  the  latter 
containing  a  ram  and  20  ewes  of  the  best  breeding. 

Characteristics  of  the  Black-faced  Highland  sheep.  Both  sexes 
have  horns,  those  of  the  males  being  rather  large,  taking  one  or 
two  spiral  curves.  The  ewes'  horns  are  small,  thin,  and  curved, 
but  not  spiral.  The  face  is  covered  with  hair  —  not  wool  —  of 
either  a  solid  black  or  a  mottled  white-and-black  color.  The  nose  is 
strong  and  prominent,  the  nostrils  wide  and  black,  and  the  ears 
short  and  small.  The  body  is  that  of  the  typical  mutton  sheep, 
but  is  short  and  muscular,  rather  blocky,  and  smoothly  turned.  The 


THE  BLACK-FACED  HIGHLAND  653 

fleece,  which  is  of  the  long-wool  class,  is  very  long  and  coarse, 
attaining  an  extreme  length  of  20  to  22  inches,  and  with  a  year  of 
growth  often  sweeps  the  ground.    It  is  commonly  kempy  and  very 
loosely  covers  the  body.    In  temperament  the  breed  is  very  wild- 
and  independent,  quite  unlike  the  heavier,  lowland  sheep. 

The  size  of  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  ranges  from  small  to 
medium.  The  rams  in  breeding  condition  weigh  from  140  to 
1 60  pounds  and  the  ewes  from  120  to  140.  Weights  of  these 
sheep  are  rarely  taken  in  Scotland,  excepting  after  slaughter,  at 
which  time  the  weight  is  based  on  the  quarters.  In  1837  Youatt 
stated  that  when  fattened  these  sheep  weighed  from  16  to  20 
pounds  per  quarter,  while  fifty  years  later  good  average  weights 
on  the  farm  were  given  as  15  to  1 6  pounds  per  quarter.  Scott 
states  that  when  taken  from  the  hills  in  autumn  and  put  on  ordi- 
nary fattening  fare  in  the  Lowlands,  they  easily  attain  a  weight  of 
20  pounds  per  quarter. 

The  quality  of  Black-faced  mutton  is  very  superior ;  in  fact, 
nothing  equals  it  on  the  British  market  for  grain,  disposition  of 
fat,  small  per  cent  of  waste,  and  prime  flavor.  On  this  point  Scott 
says  that  "their  meat  has  a  peculiarly  delicate  flavor,  which  is 
much  prized  at  the  tables  of  the  rich.  Around  the  mansions  of  the 
nobility  it  is  common  to  see  a  number  of  wedders  [wethers]  of  this 
breed,  kept  for  the  double  purpose  of  ornament  to  the  parks  and 
supplying  meat  for  the  household." 

Crossbred  or  grade  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  meet  with 
favor  in  Scotland,  giving  a  heavier-fleshed  type  with  the  good 
quality  of  mutton  of  the  pure-bred.  Robert  Wallace  states  that 
the  produce  of  a  Black-faced  ewe  by  a  Leicester  ram  is  called  a 
"  cross  "  or  "  mule  "  and  by  a  Cheviot  ram  a  "  half  long."  The 
latter  name  is  given  because  a  Black-faced  is  sometimes  termed 
the  "short"  sheep  and  a  Cheviot  the  "long"  sheep.  As  ewes 
these  sheep  of  mixed  breed  are  good  milkers. 

The  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  as  a  producer  of  wool  does 
not  rank  very  high.  The  staple  is  very  coarse,  grading  as  a  low 
quarter-blood,  and  varies  greatly  in  quality,  according  to  whether 
from  shoulder  or  thigh,  that  on  the  hind  quarter  as  a  rule  being 
very  coarse  and  hairy  in  character.  The  weight  of  fleece  is  light, 
that  on  ewes  ranging  from  3!  to  4^  pounds.  In  one  of  the  noted 


654  SHEEP 

flocks  in  Scotland — that  of  McKersie  of  Glenbuck — the  average 
weight  of  fleece  in  1886  was  5|  pounds.  Scott  gives  the  average 
weight  of  fleeces  as  5  to  6  pounds.  Wool  of  this  class  is  exten- 
sively used  in  Scotland  for  blankets,  carpets,  and  rugs. 

The  prices  paid  for  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  are  nominal 
for  American  trade,  but  of  some  importance  in  Scotland.  In  1887 
there  were  sold  4952  head  for  the  average  price  of  $22.18,  with 
a  top  price  of  nearly  $375  for  a  ram,  the  highest  price  on  record 
for  a  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  to  that  time.  In  1914  a  ram 
sold  in  Scotland  for  £110  ($535),  and  in  September,  1916, 
Mrs.  Watters  of  Perthshire  paid  $1500  for  a  yearling  ram  at  the 
Lanark  sale.  At  this  same  sale  James  Clark  sold  his  first-prize 
pen  of  5  yearling  rams  at  an  average  price  of  $566,  a  new  high 
record  for  a  pen.  At  the  Perth  ram  sale  in  1916  the  top  price 
was  nearly  $900,  a  second  ram  brought  $750,  and  20  rams  of 
one  consignor  averaged  $150,  In  September,  1919,  Buchanan 
Brothers  of  Muirkirk,  Scotland,  sold  a  yearling  ram  for  $2000. 

The  distribution  of  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  is  mainly  over 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland  and  to  a  small  extent  on  the  higher  of 
the  mountain  regions  of  north  England.  Large  numbers  are  bred 
in  the  Highlands  and  this,  with  the  Cheviot,  occupies  most  of  the 
space  at  the  Scotch  shows.  These  sheep  have  been  exported  to 
various  countries  where  the  conditions  are  rough  and  grazing  rela- 
tively poor,  but  have  secured  no  foothold  of  note.  R.  H.  Williams 
of  New  Jersey,  in  1918,  acquired  a  flock  of  160  head  that  had  been 
developed  in  that  state  from  imported  stock.  There  are  some  of 
these  sheep  in  Massachusetts  and  also  in  West  Virginia. 

The  promotion  of  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  is  essentially  in 
the  hands  of  the  Scotch.  A  Black-faced  Sheep  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion has  its  headquarters  at  Moniaive,  Scotland,  and  publishes  a 
flock  book.  On  January  31,  1907,  the  American  Black-faced 
Highland  Sheep  Association  was  organized  in  New  York  City, 
but  has  had  a  nominal  membership  and  shows  little  or  no  activity. 

The  special  field  for  Black-faced  Highland  sheep  in  America 
should  be  the  mountain  regions  east  and  west,  but  more  especially 
the  higher  sections  of  the  lower  Alleghenies,  where  grass  grows 
in  abundance.  The  Cheviot,  however,  is  almost  equally  hardy  and 
is  far  better  suited  to  the  American  market. 


CHAPTER   LXI 

THE  CORRIEDALE 

The  native  home  of  the  Corriedale  is  the  group  of  islands  in 
the  South  Pacific  Ocean  known  as  New  Zealand,  lying  about 
1000  miles  southeast  from  Australia.  There  are  two  main  islands 
here,  the  North  and  South,  separated  by  Cook  Strait,  1 6  to  90  miles 
wide.  North  Island  is  in  the  main  gently  undulating,  though  hav- 
ing volcanic  peaks  rising  to  9000  feet,  while  South  Island  along  its 
western  side  has  a  lofty  and  majestic  mountain  range  towering  to 
12,000  feet.  "  The  character  of  the  country  upon  which  the  Cor- 
riedale is  bred  in  New  Zealand,"  says  Professor  Marshall,1  "varies 
from  level  and  fairly  rich  artificial  grass  pasture  to  rough  hills 
with  altitudes  around  3000  feet,  on  which  snow  lies  for  several 
months  at  a  time."  The  climate  of  New  Zealand  is  very  equable, 
and  the  rainfall  ranges  from  20  to  100  inches  a  year.  This  is 
essentially  an  agricultural  and  pastoral  country,  with  a  greater 
number  of  sheep  per  acre  than  elsewhere  in  the  world.  In  1915 
New  Zealand  was  reported  as  having  nearly  25,000,000  sheep. 

The  origin  of  the  Corriedale  is  quite  recent.  It  is  the  result  of 
crossing  long -wool  rams  on  Merino  ewes,  more  especially  the 
Lincoln  and  Leicester.  The  policy  adopted  was  one  of  extensive 
breeding  and  persistent  culling  to  secure  a  type  of  sheep  best 
suited  to  New  Zealand  that  would  produce  both  mutton  and  wool 
to  a  satisfactory  extent.  The  claim  is  made,  however,  that  the  line 
of  Corriedale  breeding  was  first  suggested  by  James  Little,  who, 
in  1865,  brought  to  the  Corriedale  estate  on  the  South  Island 
some  Romney  sheep  and  proposed  that  they  be  bred  to  Merinos 
in  order  to  improve  the  sheep  of  the  island.  This  flock,  however, 
was  soon  dispersed ;  and  soon  after  Mr.  Little  moved  to  the 
North  Island,  where,  in  1878,  he  began  systematic  crossing  on 
the  Allendale  estate  at  Waikiri.  The  New  Zealand  Farmer  says2 : 

1  Bulletin  313,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  November  13,  1915. 

2  The  Wyoming  Corriedale  Sheep  Company.  A  pamphlet  on  Corriedales  (1916). 

655 


656 


SHEEP 


He  set  to  work  to  build  up  a  flock  and  started  out  by  buying  the  biggest 
framed  and  sturdiest  looking  Merino  ewes  he  could  get,  four  thousand  being 
thus  selected.  These  were  bred  to  Lincoln  rams,  and  from  the  best  ram  lambs, 
the  progeny  of  these  Merino  ewes  and  Lincoln  rams,  100  of  the  best  ram  lambs 
were  saved,  then  further  severe  cull  was  made,  and  20  of  the  best  picked  out. 
These  were  mated  with  the  pick  of  the  half-bred  ewes,  the  progeny  of  the 
Merino  ewes  and  Lincoln  rams.  The  flock  did  very  well,  indeed,  under  heavy 
culling  and  careful  management,  and  the  chief  points  which  worried  Mr.  Little 
were  a  tendency  to  droop  in  the  tail,  a  rough  hip  and  weak  shoulder.  These 
defects  had  to  be  rectified,  and  the  ideal  that  Mr.  Little  kept  before  him  all 


FIG.  309.    Ensor's  Double  Brand,  an  aged  Corriedale  ram  owned  by  C.  H.  Ensor, 
New  Zealand.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  F.  R.  Marshall 

the  time  was  to  get  the  solid,  well-shaped  carcass  of  a  Shropshire  or  South- 
down, well  covered  with  a  good  staple  of  the  best  quality  half-bred  wool.  He 
also  recognized  that  to  make  the  breed  worth  while  it  must  be  a  sheep  that 
should  be  able  to  fight  for  itself  and  -need  no  coddling,  and  there  was  the 
point  of  early  maturity  to  be  considered,  as  the  development  of  the  frozen 
meat  trade  would  make  this  of  considerable  importance.  Mr.  Little's  fleeces 
soon  began  to  be  known  overseas,  and  there  was  very  flattering  competition 
for-  the  clip  on  the  market  which  he  began  to  top. 

Others  engaged  in  crossing  and  culling  on  much  the  same  line  as 
Mr.  Little,  notably  C.  H.  Ensor,  who  used  Leicester  rams,  and  W.  S. 
Davidson,  who,  like  Mr.  Little,  depended  on  Lincolns  for  sires. 


THE  CORRIEDALE 


657 


From  the  above  it  can  be  seen  that  the  Corriedale  is  a  very 
recent  breed.  In  fact  it  has  not  been  recognized  as  a  breed  where 
might  have  been  expected.  Professor  Hawkesworth,  noted  as  an 
Australian  authority,  in  his  standard  work  on  sheep  and  wool,  pub- 
lished in  1906,  makes  no  reference  to  the  Corriedale.  The  first 
important  American  presentation  of  the  breed  was  by  Professor 
F.  R.  Marshall  in  1915  in  Bulletin  313  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture,  on  "  Features  of  the  Sheep  Industries 
of  the  United  States, 
New  Zealand,  and 
Australia  compared." 

The  importation  of 
the  Corriedale  sheep  in- 
to North  America  first 
took  place  in  1914, 
when  Professor  F.  R. 
Marshall  was  sent  to 
New  Zealand  by  the 
United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  to 
study  the  sheep  indus- 
try of  that  country  and 
Australia  and  "for  the 
importation  of  Corrie- 
dale and  other  prom- 
ising breeds  of  sheep 

for  breeding  purposes."  As  a  result  of  this  trip  there  were  landed 
at  San  Francisco  on  December  31,  1914,  fifty-three  ewes  and  ten 
rams,  imported  as  a  foundation  flock.  F.  S.  King  of  Wyoming 
accompanied  Professor  Marshall  on  his  trip  to  New  Zealand,  and 
in  1915  he  imported  from  the  flock  of  C.  H.  Ensor,  since  which 
time  he  has  brought  many  Corriedales  to  America. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Corriedale  sheep.  This  is  an  entirely 
white  breed  with  a  cap  of  wool  over  the  head  to  the  eyes  or 
beyond,  but  showing  plenty  of  white  hair  on  the  face.  The  back 
and  loin  are  said  to  be  especially  good,  while  the  hind  quarters  are 
thick  and  of  excellent  mutton  form.  In  conformation  it  is  a  wide 
mutton  sheep  and  with  a  depth  of  rib  indicating  a  good  feeder. 


FIG.  310.    A  Corriedale  ewe  bred  and  owned  by  the 

Wyoming  Corriedale  Sheep  Company,  Cheyenne. 

From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owners 


658  SHEEP 

The  weight  of  the  Corriedale  sheep,  according  to  King,1  is  300 
pounds  for  mature  stud  rams,  250  to  290  pounds  for  two-year- 
old  rams,  with  yearlings  up  to  220  pounds.  Six  months'  lambs 
are  said  to  attain  a  weight  of  100  pounds.  Many  ewes  weigh  from 
200  to  250  pounds. 

The  fleece  of  the  Corriedale  sheep  represents  a  very  long  staple 
suggesting  the  fine-wool  ancestry,  but  with  more  coarseness  and 
length.  In  discussing  the  fleece  F.  S.  King  offers  the  following2 : 

The  fleece  is  about  5  inches  in  staple,  runs  about  6o's  in  the  count,3  has  a 
decided  crimp,  is  a  strong,  robust  wool  of  the  half-blood  type  running  into  fine 
medium  grade,  carries  a  good  luster,  and  the  belly  wool  is  thickly  put  on  and 
free  of  grease.  The  fleece  is  fairly  even  throughout  and  is  free  from  jars  or 
dog  hair.  .  .  .  The  wool  brings  a  top  price,  and  being  set  well  on  the  sheep  in  a 
quite  dense,  compact  fleece  that  is  free  from  any  surplus  grease,  held  well  to- 
gether with  binders,  makes  a  great  protection  to  the  body  from  cold  wet  winds 
or  spring  snows.  It  keeps  out  the  dirt  well  and  is  quite  an  attractive  article 
both  to  the  buyer  and  seller. 

The  Corriedale  fleece,  being  somewhat  light  in  yolk,  is  a  fairly 
heavy  weigher.  Marshall  gives  figures  regarding  eighteen  sheep 
shown  at  the  1914  Christchurch  Show,  New  Zealand,  on  which 
occasion  the  fleeces  ranged  from  15  to  20  pounds  14  ounces. 
According  to  F.  S.  King  top-selected  ewes  will  shear  fleeces 
weighing  from  14  to  18  pounds. 

The  rank  of  the  Corriedale  as  a  mutton  producer  is  very  good 
in  its  native  country.  It  matures  early  and  lays  on  weight  rapidly, 
producing  a  smooth,  well-covered  carcass  that  dresses  out  very 
satisfactorily  and  seems  especially  suited  for  export  in  the  frozen- 
meat  trade.  On  the  London  market  carcasses  of  Corriedale  blood 
command  a  high  price.  In  the  Canterbury  district  of  New  Zealand 
crossbred  ewes  —  the  result  of  breeding  Lincoln  or  Leicester 
rams  to  Merino  ewes  —  are  bred  to  Southdown  rams,  the  combi- 
nation producing  a  much-desired  carcass  in  the  London  market 
known  as  "  Canterbury  lamb,"  which  commands  a  premium 
for  its  excellence.  King  reports  that  in  packing-plants  lambs 

1  American  Sheep  Breeder,  May,  1915. 

2  Ibid.  February,  1915. 

8  A  technical  term  indicating  that  i  pound  of  top  wool  in  the  mill  can  be  spun 
into  yarn  60  times  560,  or  33,600  yards  in  all. 


THE  CORRIEDALE  659 

are  usually  killed  at  four  to  five  months  old  and  that  they  kill 
out  36  to  40  pounds  dressed  carcass. 

The  Corriedale  as  a  grazer  or  forager  is  regarded  as  superior, 
showing  the  distinctive  characteristics  of  the  Merino  in  this  respect,  - 
with  its  valuable  flocking  habit.   The  claim  is  made  that  the  Corrie- 
dale is  hardier  than  the  Merino  and  will  withstand  severe  changes 
of  weather  conditions  in  the  mountain's  better  than  the  Merino. 

The  prices  paid  for  Corriedales  are  not  remarkable.  At  the 
Sydney,  New  South  Wales,  ram  sales  in  1914  the  top  price  for 
rams  was  $375,  while  flock  rams  brought  $35.  Reserve  breeding 
ewes  sold  for  $40  and  common  ewes  for  $15.  Two  hundred  ewes 
of  C.  H.  Ensor's  breeding,  in  the  1918  Sydney  sale,  averaged 
$131,  with  the  top  at  $176.  At  the  ram  sales  at  Salt  Lake  City 
in  1918  fifteen  rams  were  offered  from  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  flock  and  three  by  the  Wyoming  Corriedale 
Company.  The  top  price  was  $525  for  a  government  ram,  with  two 
from  the  Wyoming  Company  selling  for  $500  each.  The  lowest 
price  at  which  a  ram  of  the  breed  sold  on  this  occasion  was  $150, 
twelve  head  selling  from  this  price  up  to  $250. 

The  distribution  of  the  Corriedale  at  present  is  in  New  Zealand 
nearly  altogether,  but  they  have  also  been  introduced  into  Australia 
and  Tasmania.  Considerable  numbers  are  now  being  brought  to 
America,  which  thus  far  have  been  distributed  in  the  Northwestern 
and  Pacific  coast  states,  with  Wyoming  interests  especially  pro- 
moting the  breed.  Some  of  these  sheep  have  been  shipped  into 
western  Canada,  and  they  have  also  gained  a  foothold  in 
Argentina  and  British  East  Africa.  In  view  of  the  interests  pro- 
moting these  sheep  in  the  United  States,  they  are  very  likely  to 
have  a  wide  distribution  in  this  country. 

The  official  promotion  of  Corriedale  sheep  began  with  its  recog- 
nition by  the  New  Zealand  Sheep  Breeders'  Association,  which  has 
already  published  a  number  of  volumes  of  Corriedale  flock  books. 
In  December,  1915,  the  American  Corriedale  Sheep  Breeders'  As- 
sociation was  organized,  with  headquarters  at  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 


CHAPTER  LXII 

THE  KARAKUL 

The  native  home  of  Karakul  sheep  is  Bokhara  and  the  neigh- 
boring districts  in  Turkestan,  Russia,  in  the  region  between  the 
Caspian  Sea  and  northern  Afghanistan.  Bokhara  is  in  about 
latitude  40°  N.,  between  60°  and  70°  east  longitude,  and  about 
1700  miles  east  of  Constantinople.  Western  Bokhara  comprises 
much  desert  land,  while  the  eastern  part  is  very  mountainous. 
The  summers  are  hot  and  dry,  the  winters  cold  and  with  much 
snow.  Agriculture  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  country.  Horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  goats,  and  camels  are  raised  in  considerable  num- 
bers. From  three  to  four  million  sheep  are  found  in  this  region. 
It  has  been  stated1  that  the  name  is  derived  from  Kara-Kul 
(black  lake),  a  village  in  eastern  Bokhara; 

The  origin  of  Karakul  sheep  is  one  of  obscurity.  Dr.  C.  C.  Young 
of  Texas,  who,  in  1909,  visited  Bokhara,  believes  that  long-tailed 
black  sheep  of  Danadar  were  the  original  fur-bearing  stock  of 
Central  Asia,  and  when  crossed  on  the  white  fine-wooled  sheep 
of  Afghanistan  produced  the  gray  Danadar.  These  gray  sheep 
eventually  were  crossed  with  a  fat-rumped  breed,  resulting  in  what 
is  known  as  the  Arabi,  from  which  the  Karakul  is  descended. 
Another  type  of  fur-bearing  sheep,  the  Duzbai,  is  also  said  to  be 
derived  from  a  cross  of  the  black  Danadar  and  fat-rumped  sheep. 
Undoubtedly  the  sheep  of  this  region  are  more  or  less  mixed  in 
blood  lines  if  one  can  judge  from  specimens  imported  to  America. 

The  introduction  of  Karakul  sheep  into  America  first  took  place 
in  December,  1909,  when  Dr.  C.  C.  Young  of  Belen,  Texas,  im- 
ported 1 5  head  —  3  rams  and  1 2  ewes.  Other  importations  were 
made  by  Young  in  1913  and  1914  —  a  total  of  31  rams  and 
23  ewes  in  the  three  importations.  What  have  been  known  as  Per- 
sian sheep  were  imported  in  June,  1892,  by  Truxton  Beale,  United 

1  F.  R.  Marshall,  L.  L.  Heller,  and  V.  O.  McWhorter,  Karakul  Sheep.  Year- 
book of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  (1915),  p.  249. 

660 


THE  KARAKUL 


66 1 


States  minister. to  Persia,  who  presented  6  head  to  Secretary  of 
Agriculture  Rusk.  Another  importation  was  made  in  1910.  These 
Persian  sheep  apparently  came  from  Bokhara  and  may  be  more 
or  less  grouped  with  the  Karakul  as  producing  Persian  fur. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Karakul  sheep  of  special  interest  are 
as  follows  :  The  head,  usually  horned  with  the  rams  and  hornless 
with  the  ewes,  is  narrow,  with  the  nose  of  marked  Roman  type 
in  the  rams  but  fairly 
straight  with  the  ewes. 
The  ears  are  small, 
more  or  less  drooping, 
and  set  somewhat  low, 
even  below  the  level  of 
the  eyes.  The  neck  is 
long  and  scrawny,  the 
shoulders  prominent, 
the  back  narrow,  the 
ribs  flat  rather  than  well 
arched,  the  loin  high, 
the  rump  very  drooping 
and  terminating  in  a 
heavy,  thick,  broad  fat 
tail,  which  tapers  rap- 
idly from  the  body  but  fIG'  31  '•  Doctor'  an  imported  Karakul  ram  owned 
.  '  by  the  New  England  Karakul  Company,  Alton, 

extends    quite    tO    the     New  Hampshire.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

hocks.    This  tail  may  F.  E.  Dawley 

weigh  5  or  6  pounds. 

The  legs  are  slender  and  somewhat  long,  just  such  as  might  be 

expected  with  mountain  sheep.    According  to  Holm  the  head, 

ears,  legs,  and  feet  should  be  black,  though  "  occasionally  a  small 

white  spot  and,  frequently,  gray  hairs  are  found  on  the  head." 

Karakuls  are  of  medium  size. 

The  fleece  of  the  Karakul  sheep  is  the  feature  for  which  the 
breed  is  especially  valued.  On  mature  sheep  the  wool  is  long 
and  very  coarse,  grading  as  an  inferior  braid  or  carpet  wool  and 
measuring  up  to  8  inches  long,  and  lies  in  loose  locks  on  the 
body.  This  coat  (which  some  writers  term  hair  and  others  wool) 
with  age  turns  from  black  to  a  grayish  or  brownish  black,  while 


662  SHEEP 

below  this  long  outer  fleece,  with  some  sheep,  is  a  covering  of 
short,  lustrous  black  hair  which  is  regarded  as  undesirable.  The 
fleece  on  the  lambs  at  time  of  birth  is  very  thick,  curly,  and 
extremely  lustrous,  and  is  usually  a  deep  black  in  color,  although 
shades  of  gray  or  brown  occasionally  occur.  In  the  course  of 
three  to  nine  days  after  birth  the  fleece  loses  its  curly  character 
and  gradually  assumes  a  straight  appearance.  An  important 
feature  of  the  coat  on  the  newborn  lamb  is  that  the  curls  should 
be  very  close  together,  with  a  minimum  of  open  spaces  between 
them.  The  curls  should  also  cover  the  body  completely.  Alexander 
Albright,  a  Texas  breeder,  states  that  lambs  four  months  old  in 
July  will  shear  4  to  5  pounds  of  fleece. 

The  fur  of  the  young  Karakul  lamb  is  used  for  making  ladies' 
muffs,  collars,  coats,  etc.,  and  in  the  trade  it  is  classed  as  Persian, 
Astrakhan,  Broadtail,  and  Krimmer.  According  to  Marshall  and 
others,1  the  color  is  black  in  each  class  except  the  Krimmer,  but 
the  character  of  curl  varies.  Persian  has  the  most  pronounced, 
the  most  uniform,  and  the  tightest  curls  and  is  most  valuable. 
Astrakhan  is  longer,  more  open,  and  less  lustrous  than  Persian. 
"  Moire  "  Astrakhan  has  a  skin  that  is  light  and  soft,  with  straight 
hair,  but  with  marked  luster.  Broadtail  skins  are  from  lambs  pre- 
maturely born,  the  skins  being  light  and  the  fiber  wavy  rather 
than  curled.  Krimmer  is  a  gray  fur  produced  in  the  Crimea.  The 
skins  in  the  above  classes  are  graded,  and  all  but  the  Krimmer 
are  derived  from  Karakuls  reared  in  Bokhara. 

The  grade  or  crossbred  Karakul  has  its  chief  interest  as  a 
producer  of  commercial  fur.  Pure-bred  Karakul  rams  used  on 
ewes  of  the  long-wool  type,  such  as  Lincoln,  Leicester,  or 
Cotswold,  sire  lambs  that  tend  to  produce  very  good  furs.  The 
A_nimal  Husbandry  Division  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture  has  conducted  some  interesting  experiments  in  this 
field  and  secured  good  skins  from  some  crosses  with  long-wool 
type  ewes  and  poor  results  with  medium  and  fine-wool  ewes.  A 
cross  of  Karakul  ram  on  Barbadoes  ewes  resulted  in  low-grade 
furs,  but  the  ewes  of  this  cross,  bred  to  another  Karakul  ram, 
produced  some  excellent  furs.  A  Texas  breeder  of  Karakuls 
secured  good  results  from  a  mating  of  Karakul  rams  on  half-bred 

1  Yearbook  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  1915. 


THE  KARAKUL  663 

Karakul-Lincoln  ewes.  In  1911  Dr.  Young  wrote1  that  an  excel- 
lent fur  is  obtained  by  crossing  a  half-  or  three-quarter-bred  Karakul 
ram  with  the  long-wooled  sheep  known  as  "  Romanovskaja,"  resem- 
bling the  Black-faced  Highland.  He  also  states  that  the  Russians 
are  beginning  to  realize  that  the  English  breeds — as,  the  Lincoln, 
Leicester,  Cotswold,  and,  especially,  the  Shropshire  —  yield  fur 
far  superior  to  anything  that  Asia  can  produce.  Dr.  Young  pro- 
duced some  "  salable  skins  "  through  a  Karakul-Merino  cross,  and 
a  "  much  prettier  skin  "  in  a  Karakul-Shropshire  cross,  but  he  says : 

If  we  wish  to  excel  in  luster  the  best  of  so-called  Persian  lamb  skins  we 
must  confine  ourselves  entirely  to  the  long-wooled  sheep.  In  my  opinion  the 
Lincolns  produce  the  best  fur,  although  the  difference  in  luster  between  the 
young  Lincoln  and  Cotswold  lamb  is  hardly  sufficiently  perceptible  to  entitle 
one  to  a  positive  statement. 

It  is  important  to  note  that  some  Karakul  rams  are  much  more 
prepotent  than  others  in  transmitting  the  more  valued  qualities  of 
the  fur,  and  that  half-bred  or  grade  Karakul  rams  as  a  rule  yield 
inferior  results. 

The  market  value  of  Karakul  furs  varies  in  a  great  degree. 
About  1,500,000  skins  are  said  to  be  exported  annually  from 
Bokhara  and  adjoining  regions.  Under  pre-war  conditions  first- 
class  dyed  skins  sold  in  small  lots  at  from  $15  to  $20  each,  while 
inferior  ones  were  quoted  as  low  as  $3.  It  is  stated  that  the 
average  value  of  all  the  skins  sold  at  the  Russian  fair  at  Nijni 
Novgorod  in  1913  was  $6.25.  Skins  from  lambs  from  half-bred 
Karakul-Barbadoes  ewes,  produced  by  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  were  valued  at  50  cents  to  $10,  with  an 
average  of  $4.70.  Dr.  Young  thinks  that  skins  from  a  Karakul- 
Merino  cross  on  a  three-day-old  lamb  should  be  worth  $2  or  $3 
each,  while  that  from  a  Karakul-Lincoln  should  bring  $5.  The 
price  on  undyed  skins  in  Europe  has  greatly  increased  in  recent 
years,  and  Holm  states  that  in  Leipzig,  where  the  dyeing  is  chiefly 
done,  about  385,000  skins  are  handled  annually,  showing  an  aver- 
age value  of  $4. 

The  mutton  value  of  the  Karakul  is  regarded  as  very  satisfac- 
tory. The  mutton  of  the  mature  sheep  is  considered  of  good 

1  C.  C.  Young,  The  Karakul  Breed  of  Sheep.  American  Breeders'  Magazine, 
Vol.  II,  No.  i. 


664 


SHEEP 


quality,  while  the  tails  in  their  native  country  are  rated  as  a  delicacy, 
the  fat  replacing  butter.  In  October,  1916,  R.  A.  Tawney  of  Colo- 
rado marketed  400  black  grade  lambs  on  the  Kansas  City  market 
that  were  five  months  old  and  averaged  70  pounds  live  weight, 
with  price  much  the  same  as  native  lambs  of  the  same  weight. 

The  hardiness  of  the  Karakul  is  very  marked.    In  their  native 
home  they  undergo  conditions  of  great  winter  severity.    As  tried 


FIG.  312.    Karakul  ewes  owned  by  C.  P.  Bailey  &  Sons,  San  Jose,  California. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  American  Sheep  Breeder 

in  South  Africa  and  the  United  States  they  have  proved  most 
vigorous.  The  breed,  however,  is  not  suited  to  a  damp  climate 
and  should  not  be  reared  under  conditions  of  unusual  moisture. 
"There  is  no  evidence,"  writes  Holm,1  "that  although  extremely 
hardy,  they  possess  immunity  to  any  of  the  South  African  sheep 
diseases,  and  the  same  care  should  be  exercised  with  Karakuls  as 
with  other  sheep." 

The  fecundity  of  the  Karakul  is  not  marked.  As  a  rule  the 
ewes  drop  one  lamb  a  year.  Pure-bred  ewes  require  special  atten- 
tion during  breeding  season  on  account  of  the  heavy  tail ;  in  fact, 

1  Alexander  Holm,  Karakul  Sheep.    Pretoria,  South  Africa,  1916. 


THE  KARAKUL  665 

this  should  be  removed  from  the  young  ewe  lambs  reserved  for 
breeding,  thereby  facilitating  breeding  operation. 

The  distribution  of  Karakul  sheep  is  very  widespread.  Outside 
of  their  native  home  they  are  found  in  parts  of  Africa,  in  Europe, 
and  in  North  America.  In  the  Union  and  Southwest  Africa  the 
Karakul  is  receiving  considerable  attention.  The  native  Afrikander 
sheep  is  of  the  fat-tail  type  and  crosses  well  with  the  Karakul.  In 
Canada,  G.  Erie  O'Brien  1  reports  that  these  sheep  are  also  being 
carefully  tried,  flocks  having  been  established  in  Nova  Scotia  and 
Prince  Edward  Island  in  1913.  The  following  year  other  impor- 
tations were  made  and  flocks  established  in  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  and  Alberta.  In  1918  there  were  between  500  and 
600  grade  Karakuls  in  Canada,  produced  by  crossing  Karakul 
rams  on  native  long-wool  ewes.  There  were  also  about  100  rams 
and  ewes  of  imported  stock  or  descended  from  the  same.  Flocks 
of  pure-breds  and  grades  or  crossbreds  have  been  established  in 
Texas,  New  Mexico,  Kansas,  Colorado,  Maryland,  New  York,  and 
elsewhere.  The  claim  was  made  in  1917  that  nearly  all  the  pure- 
bred Karakuls  were  combined  in  one  ownership,  with  headquarters 
in  New  York. 

1  Karakul  Sheep  and  Persian  Lamb  Fur  Production.  Pamphlet  Aro.  75,  April, 
1918,  Sheep  and  Goat  Division,  Department  of  Agriculture,  Ottawa,  Canada. 


CHAPTER  LXIII 

THE  ANGORA  GOAT 

The  native  home  of  the  Angora  goat  is  in  the  district  of  Angora 
in  Asia  Minor.  This  is  a  mountainous  region  2000  to  4000  feet 
high,  lying  south  of  the  Black  Sea ;  Angora,  the  principal  city, 
is  in  40°  north  latitude,  200  miles  from  the  sea,  and  about  220 
miles  south  by  southeast  from  Constantinople.  The  climate  has 
wide  extremes  of  heat  and  cold.  In  January  and  February  the 
temperature  may  reach  zero;  while  in  June  and  July  it  will  touch 
85  degrees.  The  rainfall  is  rather  variable  but  light.  The  soil  is 
frequently  poor  and  free  of  vegetation.  Forests  occur  to  a  consid- 
erable extent.  It  is  probable  that  the  Angora  goat  has  inhabited 
this  region  for  many  centuries,  dating  back  prior  to  the  Christian 
Era.  The  atmospheric  conditions  about  Angora  are  said  to  be 
especially  favorable  for  producing  a  fine  quality  of  hair. 

The  origin  of  the  Angora  goat  is  quite  obscure.  There  are  some 
ten  species  of  wild  goats  in  Europe  and  Asia,  and  these  are  divided 
into  two  groups :  one,  the  ibexes ;  the  other,  the  goats  proper.  The 
former  are  distinguished  by  horns  "flat  in  front,  with  horizontal  tri- 
angular sections,  furnished  with  large  transversal  knots,"  while  the 
latter  have  horns  that  are  compressed  and  carinated  in  front,  with  a 
well-developed  keel  and  with  a  rounded  formation  behind.  Among 
the  goats  are  two  subspecies :  Capra  falconeri  and  Capra  czgagrus. 
"The  latter,"  says  Thompson,1  "is  also  known  as  the  Paseng,  the 
Bezoar  goat,  or  wild  goat  of  Persia,  and  is  generally  accepted  as  the 
goat  from  which  the  Angora  is  descended  through  Capra  hircus, 
which  is  claimed  to  be  the  origin  of  all  the  common  breeds  of  goats." 

Several  varieties  of  goat  in  Angora  are  reported,  each  located 
in  a  special  district.  These,  according  to  Gatheral,  are  the  follow- 
ing :  (i)  Yavan- Ova,  having  a  heavy,  lustrous  fleece ;  (2)  Ckorba^ 

1  George  F.  Thompson,  Information  concerning  the  Angora  Goat.  Bulletin 
27,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture. 
Revised  1906. 

666 


THE  ANGORA  GOAT 


667 


producing  a  very  soft,  fine  mohair ;  (3)  Ckubouk-Ova,  remarkable 
for  length  and  fineness  of  fiber ;  (4)  Ayash,  white  of  fleece,  but 
lacking  luster ;  (5)  Joevas,  having  a  bright,  showy,  but  kempy 
fleece.  Other  varieties  are  also  referred  to. 

The  introduction  of  the  Angora  goat  to  America  dates  back  to 
1849,  when  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  presented  Dr.  James  B.  Davis 


FIG.  313.    Hobson's  African,  first  in  aged  Angora  buck  class  in  1905  at  the  Lewis 

and  Clark  Exposition,  Portland,  Oregon.    Weight  of  fleece  i8|  pounds  at  thirteen 

months  old,  selling  for  $1.50  per  pound.    At  head  of  the  flock  of  William  Riddell 

&  Sons,  Monmouth,  Oregon.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  L.  A.  Webster 

of  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  with  9  choice  animals  —  2  bucks  and 
7  does.  These  were  long  known  as  Cashmere  goats,  but  evidence 
seems  to  show  that  they  were  true  Angoras.  These  goats  and 
their  progeny  were  sold  later  to  various  people,  especially  to 
Colonel  Richard  Peters,  who  bought  in  1854.  They  were  shown 
quite  extensively  and  attracted  much  attention.  From  the  Davis 
importation,  flocks  became  established  over  considerable  territory 
in  many  states.  A  number  of  other  importations  followed  that  of 
1849.  In  1 86 1  W.  W.  Chenery  of  Belmont,  Massachusetts,  made 


668  SHEEP 

two  importations  and  others  in  1866  and  1867.  About  1867 
Messrs.  I.  S.  Diehl  and  C.  S.  Brown  imported  160  head  and 
placed  them  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Brown  at  Newark,  New  Jersey. 
A  number  of  other  importations  followed  the  above  —  notably  that 
of  John  S.  Harris  of  California,  in  1876;  Dr.  W.  C.  Bailey  of  the 
same  state,  in  1901  (both  of  whom  made  personal  selections  in 
Asia  Minor) ;  and  that  of  G.  A.  Hoerle  of  Kansas,  who,  in  1904, 
landed  147  head  at  New  York  from  Cape  Colony. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Angora  goat  are  as  follows  :  The 
head  (which  should  be  broad  at  the  forehead  and  wide  at  the 
muzzle)  from  the  eyes  down  is  covered  with  white  hair,  the  lower 
jaw  having  a  beard  of  fine  hair.  Horns  surmount  the  head  of  each 
sex  —  those  of  the  male  may  be  eighteen  to  twenty  inches  long, 
turning  upward  ar^l  outward,  with  a  backward  spiral  twist,  the 
tips  widely  separated  ;  while  the  horns  of  the  female,  which  attain 
a  length  of  eight  to  ten  inches,  grow  upward  and  point  backward, 
with  but  little  twist.  The  ears  usually  are  large,  six  to  eight  inches 
long,  and  pendent.  In  some  cases,  however,  the  ears  are  foxlike 
—  short,  pointed,  and  pricked.  The  eye  should  be  bright  and  of 
good  size.  The  breast  should  be  full,  the  shoulders  well  laid,  the 
back  straight  and  level,  the  ribs  well  sprung  and  deep,  and  the  legs 
short.  There  is  a  tendency  to  steepness  of  rump,  which  is  regarded 
as  a  serious  objection.  A  pink  skin  is  quite  the  thing,  and  no  spots 
are  tolerated  by  qualified  judges.  In  quality  the  Angora  ranks 
as  superior.  In  temperament  the  breed  is  very  quiet  and  easily 
managed.  The  musky  odor  of  the  common  goat  is  not  prevalent, 
unless  with  the  males  and  then  only  during  the  breeding  season. 

The  fleece  of  the  Angora  is  its  most  striking  and  important 
feature.  It  is  commercially  known  as  mohair.  It  differs  from 
wool  in  having  no  exterior  scales  and  not  possessing  the  felting 
property  common  with  wool.  It  also  has  a  lustrous  or  silky  quality 
which  is  most  highly  valued,  for  the  greater  the  luster  the  higher 
the  market  value.  The  fleece  should  be  pure  white  and  com- 
pletely cover  the  body,  "  as  dense  on  the  belly  and  neck  as  on 
the  back  and  sides."  In  some  cases  the  head  is  crowned  with  a 
topknot,  which  falls  in  ringlets  over  the  face  or  projects  over  the 
'forehead  only.  The  mohair  attains  a  length  of  eight  or  ten  inches 
during  a  year  of  growth  and  hangs  in  ringlets,  which,  Thompson 


THE  ANGORA  GOAT 


669 


says,  "  should  be  well  formed  from  point  to  skin,  and  the  tighter 
these  ringlets  are  twisted  the  better  ;  loose,  slightly  wavy  hair  is 
objectionable  and  indicates  coarseness  and  brittleness,  and  often 
lacks  luster."  Mohair  is  somewhat  coarser  than  fine  wool,  but  it 
is  longer  and  much  stronger.  An  average  fleece  weighs  about  four 
pounds.  Very  superior  individuals  will  shear  eight  pounds  or 
more.  Riddell  &  Sons  of  Monmouth,  Oregon,  report  that  their 
buck  Sultan,  sweepstakes  at  the  Lewis  and  Clark  Exposition  in 
1905,  sheared  a  fleece 
that  weighed  i8|  pounds, 
which  they  claimed  made 
it  the  heaviest  fleece  on 
record  at  that  time.  Some 
owners  of  Angoras  shear 
twice  a  year,  in  April  and 
September,  although  this 
is  not  a  general  practice. 
This  mohair  lies  over  a 
short  coat  of  hair  known 
as  kemp,  which  is  hard 
and  white,  sometimes  at- 
taining a  length  of  four 
inches.  Kemp  is  a  very 
objectionable  fiber,  as  it  is 
coarse  and  will  not  take 
the  dyes  used  with  mohair. 

Its  presence  in  American  flocks  is  materially  due  to  the  influence 
of  common-goat  blood,  on  which  the  Angora  has  been  much 
crossed  in  the  past.  Very  careful  selection  of  breeding  sires 
greatly  reduces  this  difficulty.  If  not  shorn,  the  Angora  goat 
will  shed  its  fleece  each  spring. 

The  prices  of  mohair  differ  according  to  the  demand  and  quality. 
In  Bradford,  England,  the  mohair  manufacturing  center  of  the 
world,  the  price  has  undergone  wide  fluctuations.  In  March, 
1918,  mohair  tops  made  the  high  record  of  $1.80  a  pound  at 
Bradford.  Along  at  this  same  time  choice  mohair  was  quoted  in 
America  at  60  cents  a  pound  in  the  bale.  Kid  fleeces  as  a  rule 
bring  the  highest  prices,  and  bucks,  wethers,  and  old  does  the 


FIG.  314.  Aztec  10664,  a  champion  Angora 
goat  in  important  shows.  Bred  by  D.  C. 
Taylor  &  Son  and  sold  for  $1400  to  Kemble 
Brothers  of  Iowa.  Photograph  from  the 
National  Stockman  and  Farmer 


6/o 


SHEEP 


least.  In  1919  the  better  grades  sold  on  the  ranch  at  from  50  to 
60  cents  a  pound  with  the  more  common  fleece  from  40  to  45  cents. 
The  weight  of  the  Angora  goat  is  considerably  less  than  that 
of  an  average-sized  sheep.  From  sixty  to  one  hundred  pounds  is 
regarded  as  a  satisfactory  range  of  weight. 

The  Angora  as  a  producer  of  mutton  has  grown  in  importance 
in  recent  years,  though  not  regarded  from  the  same  point  of  view  as 
that  produced  by  sheep.  The  flesh  of  the  fat  young  Angora  makes 
excellent  mutton,  and  in  recent  years  large  numbers  have  found 

their  way  into  the  mar- 
kets, where  the  carcasses 
have  been  sold  as  lamb. 
Some  Angora  breeders  are 
enthusiastic  over  the  supe- 
rior quality  of  the  mutton. 
Wethers  may  be  shorn  for 
some  years  and  then  fat- 
tened and  sold  for  mutton. 
In  the  stockyards  these 
goats  usually  bring  a  lower 
price  than  sheep. 

The  Angora   as   a   renO- 
vator  Qf  brush  land  hag  a 

. 
distinct    Value. 

is  naturally  a  browser  and 
not  a  grazing  animal.  In 

brush  lands  he  is  in  his  element.  He  eats  the  slender  tips  and 
twigs  and  destroys  young  trees  and  brush  very  effectually.  In 
Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  some  other  states  large  tracts  of  brush 
land  have  been  pastured  to  flocks  of  goats,  which  have  materially 
reduced  the  cost  of.  clearing  the  land  for  farm  purposes.  From 
four  to  six  goats  are  used  per  acre,  and  in  two  or  three  seasons 
they  will  destroy  the  brush,  and  grass  will  take  its  place. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Angora  goat  is  not  marked.  Rarely  more 
than  one  kid  is  dropped  a  year,  though  twins  and  even  triplets 
may  occur.  Thompson  states  that  on  the  southwestern  ranches 
the  average  percentage  of  kids  is  about  seventy,  with  instances  of 
flocks  attaining  1  20  per  cent.  Coaklin  Brothers  of  California,  in  a 


FIG.  315.  Pasha  Columbia,  a  great  Angora 
sire  and  show  buck,  purchased  by  Mrs.  M. 
Armer,  Kingston,  New  Mexico,  for  $1050. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  National 

stockman  and  Farmer 


THE  ANGORA  GOAT  671 

communication  to  the  American  Angora  Goat  Association,1  report 
that  but  few  of  the  ewes  have  twins,  and  that  in  1914  they  had 
only  about  five  pairs  of  twins  to  one  hundred  does,  with  fewer 
twins  coming  each  year  in  a  flock  of  five  hundred  does.  These 
brothers  state  that  they  raise  about  90  per  cent  of  their  kids  one 
year  with  another. 

Shelter  for  the  Angora,  in  regions  where  considerable  rainfall 
occurs,  is  emphasized  by  experienced  breeders.  The  Angora  will 
do  well  in  cold  or  warm  dry  regions  and  at  relatively  high  alti- 
tudes, but  not  when  subjected  to  moisture.  Goats  from  choice 
seek  dry  locations,  and  their  barn  or  shed  should  be  situated  with 
good  drainage,  be  well  roofed,  and  given  ample  ventilation,  with 
freedom  from  drafts. 

The  price  for  Angora  goats  varies  greatly.  Many  have  changed 
hands  on  Western  ranches  at  two  or  three  dollars  a  head,  but  very 
high  prices  have  been  paid.  Pure-bred,  fair  specimens  have  sold 
at  prices  comparable  with  sheep  of  average  breeding  character.  In 
1901,  at  the  Kansas  City  Goat  Show,  the  buck  Pasha  Columbia 
changed  hands  for  $1050,  while  the  next  year  Mr.  A.  Kemble  of 
Iowa  paid  $1400  at  the  same  show  for  the  buck  Aztec.  Still 
later,  in  1903,  at  the  Kansas  City  Show,  the  buck  Dick  Junior, 
sweepstake  of  the  show,  sold  for  $1300.  Lazarus,  that  sold  in 
1900  for  $700,  was  a  famous  show  buck  and  proved  to  be  a 
sire  of  much  merit.  The  highest  price  ever  paid  for  a  doe  in 
America  was  $900  for  Oregon  Beauty,  champion  yearling  at 
Kansas  City  in  1905.  In  recent  years  no  notable  prices  have 
been  paid  for  Angoras. 

The  distribution  of  Angora  goats  is  very  widespread.  They  are 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  but  especially  in  Asia  Minor, 
South  Africa,  and  the  United  States.  South  Africa  has  a  large 
Angora  industry  and  prior  to  the  World  War  was  credited  with 
producing  15,000,000  pounds  of  Mohair,  as  compared  with 
10,000,000  pounds  produced  by  Turkey.  In  1912  the  British 
market  imported  over  35,000,000  pounds  of  mohair,  but  the 
amount  imported  steadily  declined  during  the  war  to  3,500,000 
pounds  in  1917.  In  1863  large  flocks  were  reported  in  Massa- 
chusetts, New  York,  Maryland,  Georgia,  Tennessee,  Kentucky, 

1  The  Angora  Goat.    A  descriptive  booklet,  1918. 


672  SHEEP 

Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Missouri,  Iowa, 
Kansas,  and  Texas.  With  reasonable  care  they  seem  adapted  to 
a  wide  range  of  climatic  conditions,  and  do  well  in  the  drier 
southwestern  states  and  in  Wisconsin  and  the  colder,  moister 
North.  A  dry  climate,  however,  seems  to  offer  the  best  condi- 
tion of  health.  At  the  present  day  Angora  goats  are  found  in 
nearly  every  state  in  the  country,  with  very  large  flocks  in  New 
Mexico,  Texas,  Arizona,  California,  and  Oregon.  In  1917  a 
total  production  of  10,000,000  pounds  of  mohair  was  estimated 
for  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,*  and  California,  where  this 
industry  is  mainly  centered. 

The  official  promotion  of  the  Angora  goat  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
American  Angora  Goat  Breeders'  Association,  with  headquarters 
in  Missouri.  The  association  keeps  the  records  of  registration,  but 
up  to  1919  had  published  no  flock  books.  The  Angora  Journal 
and  Milk  Goat  Bulletin,  published  in  Oregon  also  champions  the 
breed.  There  is  also  a  National  Mohair  Growers'  Association, 
with  headquarters  in  Texas  and  a  warehouse  in  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts. This  is  organized  as  a  marketing  association.  There  is 
also  a  Canadian  Goat  Society,  with  headquarters  at  Ottawa,  and 
also  another  at  Vancouver,  British  Columbia. 


CHAPTER  LXIV 

THE  MILCH  GOAT 

The  goat  as  a  source  of  milk  supply  has  long  held  an  important 
place  as  a  producer,  especially  among  the  poorer  people  of  the  vari- 
ous countries  of  Europe.  Travelers  in  Switzerland,  Italy,  France, 
and  Spain  are  impressed  with  the  large  numbers  of  goats  kept  for 
milk  production.  Among  common  goats  a  yield  of  a  quart  a  day 
is  not  uncommon.  Some  breeds  are  quite  heavy  producers. 

The  characteristics  of  the  milk  of  the  goat  are  somewhat  vari- 
able. Nubian  goats  and  their  half-breds  tend  to  produce  a  milk 
richer  in  fat  and  with  more  total  solids  than  have  the  Swiss  breeds. 
It  seems  to  be  the  case,  also,  that  goat  milk  varies  considerably  in 
its  composition  among  individuals  of  the  same  breed.  Pegler  gives 
the  analysis  of  a  crossbred  prize-winning  goat  as  follows 1 :  casein, 
4.06  per  cent;  fat,  5.14;  sugar,  5.28;  salts,  .58;  total  solids, 
15.06;  water,  84.94  per  cent.  A  Toggenburg  goat  one  hundred 
and  eighty-three  days  in  milk  showed  3.21  per  cent  fat,  while 
an  Anglo-Nubian  six  hundred  and  thirty-five  days  in  milk  tested 
7.48  per  cent.  In  this  connection  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the 
Toggenburg  was  producing  9  pounds  a  day  and  the  Nubian 
about  3!.  The  smaller  the  yield  and  the  longer  the  goat  has 
been  in  milk,  the  greater  the  per  cent  of  fat.  There  are  two 
special  qualities  in  goat's  milk  that  should  make  it  popular,— 
one,  the  ease  with  which  it  is  digested,  and  the  other  its 
immunity  from  tuberculosis  germs.  Its  superior  digestibility  is 
attributed  to  the  fact  that  the  fat  globules  are  much  smaller 
than  in  cow's  milk  and  are  in  a  more  perfect  state  of  emulsion. 
Dr.  Barbellion,  a  French  medical  authority,  gives  a  somewhat 
different  explanation.  He  states  that  the  curd  of  cow's  milk 
forms  a  dense,  adhering  mass,  which  by  agitation  separates  into 
clots  that  are  but  slightly  soluble,  while  the  curd  of  goat's  milk 
is  soft,  pliable,  and  very  soluble,  like  the  milk  of  the  ass  and 

H.  S.  H.  Pegler,  The  Book  of  the  Goat.    London,  1910. 

673 


6/4 


SHEEP 


the  human.    When  the  udder  is  clean  and  the  does  are  properly 
milked,  the  milk  has  no  obnoxious  flavor. 

Breeds  or  varieties  of  milk-producing  goats  are  found  in  vari- 
ous countries,  some  of  which  have  been  especially  bred  for  their 
value  as  milkers.  The  common  goat  of  America  and  the  Angora 
produce  milk,  but  in  small  quantities,  and  there  are  no  milking 


FIG.  316.    El  Chivars  Geneva  65,  a  Toggenburg  doe  in  milking  stand,  owned  by 

Winthrop  Rowland,  Redlands,  California.    This  doe  produced  2124  pounds  of 

milk  in  ten  months  in  official  testing  at  the  University  of  California  Agricultural 

Experiment  Station.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Rowland 

families  of  these.  The  following  are  prominent  breeds  in  milk  pro- 
duction and  are  considered  somewhat  in  their  order  of  importance 
from  an  American  or  British  viewpoint. 

The  Toggenburg  goat.  This  breed  is  raised  more  particularly 
in  the  Toggenburg  valley  in  northeastern  Switzerland,  where  it 
has  been  bred  for  centuries.  This  goat  is  a  medium  brown  in  color, 
with  a  white  band  passing  along  down  each  side  of  the  face  from 
eyes  to  mouth.  The  breed  is  rather  slender  and  lean  of  body  and 


THE  MILCH  GOAT 


675 


neck.  Horns  may  or  may  not  occur,  though  it  is  regarded  as  a 
hornless  breed.  The  ears  are  of  moderate  size  and  are  usually 
carried  somewhat  erect.  The  males  have  a  coarse  beard  and  are 
rather  more  free  of  offensive  odor  than  male  goats  of  other  breeds. 
The  Toggenburg  differs  in  character  of  coat  of  hair,  some  animals 
having  a  rough,  long  coat,  others  a  short  one,  and  still  others  one 


FIG.  317.    Fanette  151,  an  imported  Toggenburg  doe  in  milking  stand,  owned  by 

Winthrop  Rowland,  Redlands,  California.    This  doe  in  one  season  produced 

2680  pounds  of  milk,  in  one  day  yielding  12  pounds  10  ounces.  From  photograph, 

by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Rowland 

of  a  medium  character.  The  udder  seems  capable  of  great  capacity. 
When  full  it  is  carried  high  between  the  legs  and  has  two  large, 
long  teats.  Many  of  these  goats  produce  from  four  to  five  quarts 
of  milk  a  day,  while  the  best  produce  from  five  to  six  and  even 
seven  quarts.  Winthrop  Rowland  of  California,  one  of  the  most 
noted  American  breeders,  states  in  a  pamphlet  that  "our  pure 
Toggenburg  does  yield  from  three  to  six  quarts  of  milk  per  day, 
and  our  three-quarters  Toggenburg  does  yield  from  two  to  five 
quarts  per  day."  At  the  California  Station  the  doe  El  Chivars 
Geneva,  owned  by  Mr.  Rowland,  in  three  hundred  and  twelve 


676  SHEEP 

days  produced  2158  pounds  of  milk  testing  3.37  per  cent  fat, 
with  a  total  content  of  72.8  pounds  fat.1  This  remarkable  yield 
was  from  a  goat  weighing  about  108  pounds.  Fanette  151,  owned 
by  Mr.  Rowland,  in  one  lactation  period  produced  in  twelve  months 
2680  pounds  of  milk  and  12  pounds  10  ounces  in  her  best  daily 
yield.  This  is  a  hardy  breed  and  will  do  well  under  a  wide  range 
of  conditions  of  latitude  and  elevation. 

The  Saanen  goat  derives  its  name  from  the  Saanen  valley  in 
Switzerland.  It  is  the  largest  breed  of  that  country,  is  lean  and 
lank,  is  pure  white  or  creamy  white  of  color,  and  in  general  has 
short  hair  over  the  body  excepting  along  the  spine  and  at  flanks 
and  lower  thighs.  It  also  has  a  beard.  Thompson  says : 

The  does  are  especially  beautiful,  with  slim,  long,  graceful  necks  and  clean, 
breedy-looking  heads.  The  head  of  the  buck  is  decidedly  masculine,  but  does 
not  have  the  serious  look  of  the  Toggenburger.  The  breast  is  well  developed ; 
as  a  rule  the  udder  is  very  pretty  and  is  carried  high.  This  is  considered 
a  hornless  breed,  but,  as  with  the  Toggenburger,  occasionally  one  is  found 
with  horns. 

There  are  many  fine  milkers  in  this 'breed,  though  the  average 
will  not  show  to  quite  so  good  an  advantage  as  the  Toggenburg. 
Peer  states  that -"the  best  of  them  are  probably  the  best  in  the 
world,  giving  from  five  to  six  quarts  per  day  of  the  very  best 
quality."  Thompson  gives  a  statement  of  ten  goats  which  made 
annual  records  ranging  from  423  to  951  quarts.  In  1911,  at  the 
New  York  State  Experiment  Station  at  Geneva,  the  Saanen  doe 
No.  ii  produced  1845  pounds  of  milk.2  The  two-year-old  doe 
Swiss  Echo  390,  owned  by  J.  S.  Comins  of  Michigan,  in  a  little 
less  than  eight  months  produced  2374  pounds  of  milk. 

The  Maltese  goat  is  especially  bred  on  the  island  of  Malta  in 
the  Mediterranean  Sea.  This  island  of  95  square  miles  supports 
a  population  of  about  200,000  people,  and  nearly  30,000  goats 
and  900  cows  are  used  in  milk  production.  Describing  this  goat, 
Pegler  says  3 : 

1  E.  C.  Voorhies,  The  Milch  Goat  in  California.    Bulletin  285,  University  of 
California  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  September,  1917. 

2  Goat's  Milk  for  Infant  Feeding.    Bulletin  429,  New  York  Agricultural  Ex- 
periment Station,  February,  1917. 

3  The  Book  of  the  Goat,  1910. 


THE  MILCH  GOAT 


677 


As  with  most  breeds,  the  color  varies  considerably  from  white  or  grey  to 
black,  whilst  some  are  spotted.  Those  I  have  kept  or  seen  have  been  gener- 
ally either  greyish-white  or  reddish-brown.  Their  breed  is  regarded  as  prac- 
tically hornless,  but  it  is  not  absolutely  so,  as  a  few  of  those  in  Malta  are 
horned.  The  ears  vary  somewhat  in  regard  to  their  position.  Some  are  carried 
horizontally,  whilst  others  are  what  we  should  call  semi-pendulous,  and  a  few 
completely  so,  these  being  extra  long  and  with  a  slight  outward  curl  at  the 
extremities,  showing  more  or  less  of  the  Syrian,  from  which  this  breed  is 
supposed  by  some  to  have  originated,  in  part  at  least.  The  facial  outline  is 
straight,  the  head  long 
and  narrow  and  free  from 
beard,  this  last  being  a 
noticeable  and  special 
feature  of  the  Maltese, 
imparting  to  the  female 
a  more  feminine  appear- 
ance than  with  some 
breeds.  When  horns  are 
present,  which  is  un- 
doubtedly a  defect,  they 
are  small  and  curl  back 
over  the  head.  The  udder 
of  the  Maltese  is  a  long, 
narrow  bag,  with  large, 
unshapely  teats  like  little 
udders  themselves,  its 
color,  like  that  of  the 
skin  generally,  being  of 
a  peculiar  orange  red. 


FIG.  318.    Prince  Bismark  159,  a  noted  Toggenburg 
buck  owned  by  Winthrop  Rowland,  Redlands,  Cali- 
fornia.   This  buck  weighs  203  pounds.    From  photo- 
graph, by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Rowland 


This  is  highly  re- 
garded as  a  milk- 
producing  breed,  the 
better  individuals  producing  from  three  to  four  quarts  a  day. 

In  the  summer  of  1905  the  late  Professor  G.  F.  Thompson  went 
to  Malta  for  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  and 
imported  sixty-eight  of  these  goats,  but  they  developed  Maltese 
fever,  and  the  importation  was  quarantined  and  proved  a  failure. 
Thus  far  the  breed  is  essentially  unknown  in  America. 

The  Nubian  goat  is  found  in  Nubia,  Upper  Egypt,  Abyssinia, 
and  also  in  South  Africa.  It  is  very  large  and  has  long  legs.  The 
head  is  of  striking  appearance,  being  almost  always  hornless,  and 
has  a  remarkable  Roman  face  with  depressed  nostrils.  The  lower 


6/8 


SHEEP 


jaw  extends  beyond  the  upper,  showing  the  teeth.  The  ears  are 
frequently  very  large,  long,  and  droopy,  or  they  may  be  short  and 
pointed.  The  color  is  very  bright  brown  or  black.  The  hair  is 
short  on  some  specimens  and  long  on  others.  The  udder  is  large 
and  the  lobes  are  deeply  divided,  with  very  good-sized  teats.  This 
is  one  of  the  highest  types  of  milch  goats,  is  credited  with  as 
much  as  ten  to  twelve  quarts  of  milk  a  day,  and  is  said  to  rarely 

give  less  than  four  quarts 
per  day.  This  breed  has 
been  crossed  on  other  goats 
to  special  advantage.  Nu- 
bian goats  are  very  docile. 
They  lack  hardiness,  be- 
ing quite  unable  to  with- 
stand cold. 

The  Anglo-Nubian  goat 
orginated  from  crossing 
the  prick-eared  common 
English  goat  with  the  lop- 
eared  Nubian.  Crossbred 
goats  of  this  ancestry  were 
shown  in  England  as  far 
back  as  1875,  at  the  first 
goat  show  held  at  the  Crys- 
tal Palace,  and  since  then 
it  has  been  continuously 
before  the  British  public. 
Pegler  regards  it  as  a  dis- 
tinct breed.  Thompson,  however,  gives  it  a  very  incidental  refer- 
ence. Pegler  specifies  the  following  as  points  of  an  Anglo-Nubian  : 

Coat  short  throughout,  with  no  fringe  of  long  hair  on  the  back  or  long 
tufts  on  the  flanks ;  color  preferably  black  and  tan,  or  reddigh-brown,  with  or 
without  black  or  black-and-white  markings,  but  free  from  white  streaks  on  the 
sides  of  the  face,  which  would  indicate  Swiss  blood.  The  horns,  if  any,  should 
be  small  and  curve  downwards  and  outwards,  rather  than  directly  upwards. 
The  ears  must  be  long,  wide,  and  pendulous,  or  semi-pendulous,  but  not  broken 
or  twisted.  The  facial  line  should  be  somewhat  arched,  the  head  neat,  with  a 
slight  taper  toward  the  muzzle,  which  is  small,  and  in  the  female  without 
beard.  The  eye  should  be  large  and  full,  and  the  forehead  wide. 


FIG.  319.    Phyllis,   an  imported  Toggenburg 

doe   showing  a  very   great    development   of 

the  udder.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

Professor  F.  K.  Cooke,  Winnetka,  Illinois 


THE  MILCH  GOAT 


679 


Anglo-Nubians  produce  a  milk  richer  in  fat  than  the  Swiss 
breeds,  although  the  yield  is  not  so  great.  This  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  strongest  breeds  and  is  well  suited  for  draft  purposes 
for  children.  Anglo-Nubians  are  bred  in  the  United  States. 

The  Schwarzhal  goat  is  especially  found  in  the  Canton  Valais, 
Switzerland,  and  in  the  Rhone  valley.  It  is  also  known  as  the 
Glacier  and  the  Saddle  goat.  This  is  a  rather  large  breed  of 


FIG.  320.    Marina,  an  imported  Saanen  doe  owned  by  Professor  F.  K.  Cooke, 
Winnetka,  Illinois.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owner 

striking  appearance,  with  widespreading  horns,  a  large  and  very 
thick  beard,  and  a  tuft  of  long  hair  on  the  forehead.  The  front 
part  of  the  body  to  back  of  the  shoulders  is  black,  while  the 
balance  of  the  body  is  white.  The  legs  are  slender ;  the  front 
hoofs  are  black  and  the  hind  ones  yellow.  This  is  an  extremely 
hardy  breed,  perhaps  the  toughest  of  any.  It  does  not  yield  as 
heavily  of  milk  as  some  other  breeds.  Another  Swiss  goat,  the 
Schwarzwald,  has  a  very  similar  name,  but  the  breed  is  quite 
different  from  the  Schwarzhal  and  has  only  a  local  reputation,  be- 
ing one  of  the  sixteen  breeds,  according  to  Professor  Anderegg, 
that  are  found  in  Switzerland. 


68o  SHEEP 

The  weight  of  milch  goats  varies  considerably.  Voorhies  states a 
that  mature  Toggenburg  bucks  weigh  from  no  to  1 40  pounds 
and  the  does  from  100  to  140  pounds,  while  Saanen  bucks  weigh 
from  175  to  200  pounds  and  the  does  from  no  to  140  pounds. 
In  England,  according  to  "  Home  Counties,"  2  the  heaviest  weights 
of  goats  published  have  been  1 70  pounds  for  a  six-year-old  Anglo- 
Nubian  nanny  and  195  pounds  for  a  billy  of  the  same  breed. 
The  size  is  not  regarded  as  of  prime  importance.  T.  F.  Jager,  in 
submitting  standards  of  both  Toggenburgs  and  Saanens  for  criti- 
cism in  a  report  on  the  first  American  milch-goat  show,  held  in 
Rochester,  New  York,  in  1913,  suggests  130  to  180  pounds  for 

Toggenburg  bucks  and 
80  to  no  pounds  for 
the  does,  and  140  to 
1 80  pounds  for  Saanen 
bucks  and  100  to  150 
pounds  for  the  does. 
The  age  attained  by 
milch  goats  naturally 
varies.  They  have  been 

FiG.32i.  A  pair  of  fine  young  Saanen  goats    From      knowii  R  be 

photograph   by  the  author,   taken    at   Interlaken, 

Switzerland  sixteen  years  old,  but 

will  probably  attain  to 

ten  or  twelve  years  of  age  with  reasonable  care.    The  doe  is  in 
her  prime  at  from  five  to  seven  years  of  age. 

The  cost  of  producing  goat's  milk  is  a  subject  of  interest  to 
many  people  who  desire  to  keep  this  animal  if  the  expense  is  not 
too  great.  In  extensive  experimental  feeding  at  the  New  York 
Agricultural  Experiment  Station  at  Geneva,  the  average  cost  of 
the  food  per  month  varied  from  48  to  99  cents,  while  the  average 
cost  of  the  food  for  a  year  was  $i  1.05,  a  daily  expense  of  3  cents. 
The  food  cost  of  the  milk  for  a  period  of  three  years  was 
3.4  cents  per  quart,  while  the  lowest  cost  was  for  the  Saanen 
goat  No.  n,  of  1.27  cents  per  quart.  During  the  same  period 
of  time  the  average  cost  of  a  quart  of  milk  that  was  produced 

1  Bulletin   285,    University    of   California   Agricultural    Experiment    Station, 
September,  1917. 

2  The  Case  for  the  Goat.    London,  1908. 


THE  MILCH  GOAT  68 1 

by  the  25  Jerseys  in  the  Station  herd  was  .92  cent.  At  the 
California  Experiment  Station  at  Davis  the  cost  of  feed  per  year 
averaged  $11.25,  tne  cost  of  a  gallon  of  milk  6.4  cents,  and  a 
pound  of  butter  fat  22.9  cents,  while  the  cost  for  milk  from  the 
cows  in  the  herd  was  8.3  cents  per  gallon,  and  a  pound  of  butter 
fat  24.4  cents.  It  is  to  be  noted  in  the  above  records  that  a 
charge  at  its  market  value  was  made  for  all  food  eaten,  but  there 
are  various  conditions  where  people  may  keep  goats  at  nominal 
expense  for  feeds,  making  use  of  by-products  about  the  place. 


FIG.  322.    Milking  the  goat  in  Switzerland.    This  doe  shows  the  characteristic 
features  of  the  Schwarzhal,  though  probably  not  pure  bred.    Reproduced  from 

a  Swiss  postal  card 

Importations  of  milch  goats  to  America  began  in  1893,  when 
Mr.  W.  A.  Shafor  of  Ohio  brought  to  this  country  4  Toggenburg 
goats  which  he  purchased  in  England.  In  May,  1904,  Mr.  F.  S. 
Peer  of  New  York  imported  16  Toggenburg  and  10  Saanen 
goats  to  this  country  for  Messrs.  W.  J.  Cohill  of  Maryland, 
R.  N.  Riddle  of  New  Jersey,  W.  M.  Decker  of  New  York,  and 
S.  K.  Bayley  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Cohill  also  secured  2  goats 
from  Carl  Hagenback  at  the  World's  Fair,  St.  Louis,  in  1904, 
that  Hagenback  had  brought  from  the  Black  Forest  of  Germany. 
These  are  supposed  to  be  Schwarzwald  goats.  In  1905  Professor 
Thompson  imported  68  Maltese  goats,  as  noted  on  page  677. 


682  SHEEP 

The  prices  for  milch  goats  are  quite  variable.  Common  Ameri- 
can goats  of  no  milking  strains  sell  at  nominal  figures.  Since  the 
World  War,  prices  have  naturally  become  stimulated  in  Europe 
because  the  goat  herds  of  Europe  suffered  terrible  destruction. 
Prior  to  the  war  the  best  milkers  in  Switzerland  sold  for  about 
$25.  In  England  prices  for  milch  goats  have  long  ruled  quite  high. 
In  1917  Mr.  Rowland  priced  his  pure  Toggenburg  bucks,  in  a  cir- 
cular, at  $75  to  $100,  and  the  does  at  the  same  price,  while  three- 
quarter  blood  does  were  listed  at  $30  to  $35.  Many  goats  have 
been  advertised  in  recent  years  at  prices  ranging  from  $25  to  $50. 

The  fecundity  of  the  milch  goat.  Does  usually  drop  two  kids 
at  one  time,  and  occasionally  three.  It  is  stated  by  Thompson 
that  there  is  a  record  of  a  Nubian  goat  which  dropped  eleven 
kids  within  twelve  months.  The  pregnancy  period  is  five  months. 

The  period  of  lactation  of  the  goat  varies  according  to  the 
breeding  and  care.  The  common  goat  of  this  country  produces 
milk  from  three  to  five  months.  In  Europe,  with  the  distinctly 
milking  breeds,  the  period  is  more  extended.  There  the  plan  is 
to  have  one  doe  come  fresh  in  the  spring  and  milk  for  about  six 
months  (where  two  are  used  in  the  family),. having  the  other  kid 
in  the  fall.  This  provides  a  supply  of  milk  for  the  entire  year. 

The  official  promotion  of  the  milch  goat  was  first  attempted  in 
America  by  the  organization  on  November  12,  1903,  of  the 
American  Milch  Goat  Record  Association.  This  association  has 
published,  up  to  1919,  two  flock  books,  including  the  registration 
of  1800  goats.  A  goat  of  any  breed,  native  or  foreign,  which  gives 
two  or  more  quarts  of  milk  per  day  when  fresh,  according  to  the 
rules  of  the  association,  may  be  registered  in  the  grade  record. 
A  goat  from  pure-bred  registered  sire  and  dam  is  eligible  to 
registry  in  the  pure-bred  record.  An  imported  goat  of  any 
recognized  pure-milk  breed  is  eligible  to  registry  in  the  pure-bred 
record.  In  May,  1913,  the  Western  New  York  Milch  Goat 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  at  Rochester,  but  in  September 
the  association  took  on  a  wider  scope  and  changed  its  name  to 
that  of  The  Standard  Milch  Goat  Breeders'  Club  of  North 
America.  There  is  also  an  International  Nubian  Breeders' 
Association,  with  headquarters  in  New  Jersey.  Several  journals 
are  devoted  to  promoting  milch  goats. 


PART  IV— SWINE 
CHAPTER  LXV 

THE  AMERICAN,  OR  LARD,  TYPE  OF  PIG 

The  type  of  swine  most  valued  in  the  United  States  possesses 
great  compactness  of  form,  breadth  of  back,  fullness  of  ham, 
shortness  of  limb,  and  is  capable  of  fattening  rapidly  and  matur- 
ing early.  It  is  a  type  that  in  its  highest-fed  and  most  popular 
form  contains  a  large  amount  of  fat,  especially  in  leaf  lard  and 
external  covering.  It  represents  the  extreme  development  of 
meat  production  and,  as  ordinarily  corn  fed  in  the  states,  is  not 
looked  upon  with  favor  by  people  of  other  countries.  It  is  com- 
monly referred  to  as  the  lard  type  of  pig,  from  its  natural  heavy- 
fat  production.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  said  that  while  this 
type  is  quite  generally  popular,  the  character  and  degree  of  flesh- 
ing is  materially  influenced  by  the  sort  of  food  fed.  Even  those 
breeds  recognized  as  of  the  bacon  type,  kept  and  fed  under  the 
conditions  of  the  corn  belt,  undergo  a  gradual  evolution  toward 
the  type  most  popular  in  this  country,  losing  to  some  extent  the 
bacon-producing  attributes.  In  connection  with  a  consideration  of 
this  type  it  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  fattest  specimens  do 
not  represent  the  best  pigs.  A  pig  may  easily  be  made  overfat. 
It  would  be  in  the  interests  of  swine  in  general  if  judges  at 
shows  deprecated  and  turned  down  excessively  fat  animals  and 
placed  suitable  emphasis  on  breeding  stock  or  fat  stock  according 
to  its  purpose  and  merit. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  pig  should  be  markedly  compact 
and  thick,  involving  shortness  of  head,  broad  back,  strong  hams, 
deep  body,  short  legs,  and  plenty  of  quality,  as  shown  in  abun- 
dance and  fineness  of  hair  and  strong  bone  and  joints.  The 
temperament  should  be  mild  yet  active,  for  the  disposition  has 
much  to  do  with  determining  whether  the  animal  is  a  desirable 

683 


684  SWINE 

breeder  or  feeder.  Size  or  weight  has  a  bearing  on  the  market 
price,  and  pigs  of  this  type,  well  fattened,  weigh  heavy  for  their 
age.  As  a  rule  the  tendency  of  the  breeders  is  to  produce  stock 
of  large  size,  and  "  big  type  "  is  a  common  expression  used 
among  those  promoting  the  leading  breeds.  A  popular  weight 
for  nonbreeding  stock  on  the  market  is  about  225  pounds,  which 
is  not  far  from  the  average  weight  of  the  pig  sold  on  the 
more  important  markets  in  the  Mississippi  Valley  states. 


FIG.  323.    A  typical  example  of  a  lard  type  of  hog,  showing  the  short  head,  wide 

back,  thick  hams,  deep  body,  and  short  legs.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

.The  head  should  be  comparatively  short  and  wide  in  the  fore- 
head, without  great  length  of  snout.  A  very  short  snout  is 
associated  with  the  smaller  sort  of  pigs,  so  that  a  medium  length 
may  not  be  regarded  as  undesirable.  The  end  of  the  snout  also 
should  not  be  too  pointed,  but  should  be  wide  and  strong.  The 
space  between  the  eyes  should  be  wide  and  in  fair  proportion 
with  the  rest  of  the  head.  A  prominent,  clean  eye  is  important, 
and  excessive  fat  about  the  eyes  is  quite  undesirable. 

The  ears  should  be  placed  well  on  the  head,  be  neatly  attached, 
and  show  refinement  in  quality  of  hair  and  texture.  A  large  ear 
is  undesirable,  one  of  medium  size  and  neatly  pointed  being  pre- 
ferred. A  smooth,  round  jowl,  full  and  firm,  yet  not  heavily  fat 


THE  AMERICAN,  OR  LARD,  TYPE  OF  PIG         685 

and  flabby,  is  desirable.  Wrinkles  or  seams  on  any  part  of  the 
head  are  distinctly  objectionable,  as  set  forth  on  page  687. 

The  neck  should  not  be  long,  but  rather  broad  and  short,  with 
a  smooth  blending  at  head  and  shoulder.  The  tendency  is  toward 
a  narrow  neck  on  top ;  too  much  width  or  depth  does  not 
often  occur. 

The  breast  and  chest  indicate  constitution.  When  the  breast 
is  wide  and  deep,  the  breast  bone  carried  well  forward,  and  the 
curve  about  the  chest  good  and  strong  both  above  and  below, 
plenty  of  room  for  the  heart  and  lungs  is  shown.  A  narrow 
chest  is  inconsistent  with  vigorous  development  and  good  feeding 
qualities. 

The  shoulders  should  fit  smoothly  back  into  the  body,  showing 
no  roughness  or  openness  at  the  top.  A  smooth,  broad,  evenly 
fleshed  shoulder  on  the  fat  pig  is  most  desirable  from  the  market 
point  of  view.  The  mature  boar  will  show  some  thickness  and 
heaviness  of  skin  here  at  the  "  shields,"  -those  parts  inherited 
from  the  wild  boar  as  a  protection  in  fighting.  It  is  objectionable, 
however,  even  with  the  boar,  to  have  notable  thickness  of  shoulder, 
as  this  is  quite  liable  to  be  transmitted. 

The  front  legs  should  show  good  position,  superior  bone,  and 
shortness.  Standing  in  natural  position,  viewed  from  in  front,  the 
legs  should  stand  just  under  the  shoulders,  the  knees  straight, 
the  toes  directing  forward,  the  entire  position  indicating  easy 
posture.  Pigs  of  narrow  heart  girth  usually  stand  with  the  knees 
close  together  and  are  what  is  sometimes  termed  "  knock-kneed." 
Viewed  from  one  side  the  leg  should  come  down  true  and 
plumb  from  the  center  of  the  shoulder,  standing  strong  on  the 
toes,  with  pasterns  fairly  erect  and  dew  claws  (the  rudimentary 
toes  on  back  of  leg)  well  above  the  foot  surface.  A  strong,  well- 
sustained  pastern  is  important.  If  the  foot  is  weak  and  the 
pasterns  badly  depressed,  the  animal  supports  its  weight  poorly. 
A  clean,  smooth,  hard  bone,  with  strong  yet  not  coarse  joints, 
represents  the  better  leg  development.  Too  fine  and  small  a 
bone  is  often  seen  with  pigs  when  they  really  should  have 
a  heavier  bone  to  support  the  weight  properly. 

The  back  and  loin  of  the  American  type  of  pig  in  most  favor 
is  of  medium  length,  has  a  strong  arch  from  front  to  rear,  the 


686  SWINE 

ribs  are  well  sprung,  and  the  loin  is  broad  and  thick.  In  the  case 
of  breeding  stock  the  back  may  not  appear  wide,  although  feeding 
would  soon  give  it  considerable  breadth.  The  width  should  be 
carried  the  entire  length  from  shoulders  to  hips,  offering  excellent 
room  for  covering.  As  one  views  the  back  from  front  or  rear, 
the  width  should  be  carried  uniformly.  A  heaviness  of  front  and 
lightness  behind  is  not  in  good  form,  indicating  heaviness  of 
shoulder  and  lightness  of  loin.  A  view  of  the  back  from  the 
side  should  show  it  somewhat  arched  and  strongly  carried.  A 
droop  of  the  back  or  a  falling  away  behind  the  shoulders  is  quite 
common  —  evidences  of  a  weak  back  and  lack  of  constitution. 

The  hips,  rump,  and  ham  involve  the  highest-priced  meat  on 
the  modern  porker.  The  hips  should  be  neatly  placed  and  not 
prominent,  and  should  be  smoothly  covered  with  flesh.  The 
rump  has  a  tendency  to  be  droopy,  with  the  tail  set  low,  although 
good  form  calls  for  a  long,  broad,  somewhat  level  rump,  thick- 
fleshed,  with  the  tail  neatly  attached  fairly  well  up.  Below  the 
rump  the  hams  carry  down  fairly  straight  behind  or  with  some 
outward  curve,  then  rounding  into  the  lower  thigh  and  twist 
above  the  hocks.  A  high-class  ham  viewed  from  behind  is 
notably  thick,  with  considerable  depth  from  the  tail  to  the  point 
where  the  hams  join  low  down  at  the  twist.  From  the  side  the 
relative  length  is  long  from  the  hip  point  to  the  lower  corner  of 
the  ham,  while  considerable  side  breadth  shows,  with  a  strong, 
well-turned  lower  thigh  and  hock  joint. 

The  hind  legs  in  natural  position  should  have  strong  hocks, 
wide  and  muscular,  yet  not  fat,  standing  well  apart  when  viewed 
from  the  rear,  so  that  the  legs  appear  quite  plumb  from  that 
point.  Viewed  from  the  side,  the  hocks  should  seem  deep  and 
the  legs  below  carried  down  straight,  with  the  pig  standing  strong 
on  the  toes.  All  the  features  of  quality,  bone,  and  strength  of 
position  desirable  in  the  front  legs  are  equally  desirable  in  the 
hind  ones. 

The  sides  from  shoulder  to  hind  flank  and  ham  require  a 
long,  well-arched  rib.  This  gives  a  body  of  ample  digestive  or 
breeding  capacity.  Not  only  should  the  sides  be  deep,  but  the 
lower  part  of  the  body  in  good  formation  will  be  wide,  thus 
preserving  a  straight  line  from  front  to  hind  flank.  Such  a 


THE  AMERICAN,  OR  LARD,  TYPE  OF  PIG          687 

body  as  this,  full  and  thick  at  the  flanks,  is  associated  with 
the  animal  of  easy  fattening  tendency. 

The  fleshing  and  fattening  quality  of  the  pig  is  most  important. 
If  an  animal  is  well  fleshed  the  back  and  loin,  sides,  shoulders, 
rump,  and  hams  will  be  uniformly  covered  with  meat  which  will 
feel  mellow  yet  firm  and  not  harsh  and  hard  to  the  touch  of  the 
hand.  When  fattened,  the  condition  should  be  one  of  smoothness, 
with  uniformity  and  depth  of  covering,  and  firmness  of  touch. 
The  skin  will  be  free  of  roughness  or  scurviness,  and  wrinkles 
will  be  quite  lacking.  This  smoothness  of  covering  is  equally 
essential  with  the  breeding  or  fat  pig.  Creases  or  seams  are 
most  common  about  the  head,  jowl,  shoulders,  and  sides,  and 
interfere  with  high-grade  work  in  dressing  the  carcass  at  slaughter. 
In  the  modern  packing-house  the  pig's  carcass,  after  scalding,  is 
scraped  by  mechanical  device,  and  seams  on  the  body  necessitate 
more  handwork  to  follow  the  automatic  scraping,  which  naturally 
adds  to  the  cost  of  preparing  the  carcass.  In  recent  years  much 
emphasis  has  been  laid  on  the  importance  of  smoothness  and 
quality  with  pigs  of  all  breeds. 

The  hair  of  the  pig  indicates  quality.  A  reasonable  degree  of 
fineness  is  desirable,  this  being  associated  with  animals  that  dress 
out  well  in  killing.  Large,  coarse  bristles  go  with  heavy  joints 
and  much  bone  and  offal.  Curly  hair  is  often  seen  on  the  pig, 
but  straight  coats  are  popular,  while  curly  ones  are  not.  The 
hair  should  not  only  be  of  good  quality  but  also  of  a  fair  degree 
of  abundance.  Boars  generally  have  heavier,  stronger  hair  than 
sows,  and  it  is  much  coarser  and  longer  over  the  upper  part  of 
the  spine  than  elsewhere.  This  is  very  marked  in  the  wild  boar. 

The  temperament  of  the  lard  type  of  pig  is  usually  quiet  and  docile. 
Among  individuals  of  the  same  breed  those  which  flesh  up  most 
readily  and  respond  best  to  feeding  are  those  of  the  most  quiet 
temperament.  Even  though  a  quiet  temperament  and  good  dis- 
position are  highly  desirable,  it  is  important  that  the  pig  be 
lively  and  active,  ready  to  forage  if  necessary,  and  by  its  habits 
promoting  vigor  and  health.  It  is  doubtless  true  also  that  the 
American  breeds  of  swine  differ  to  some  extent  in  disposition 
and  easy-feeding  quality.  The  Poland-China,  for  example,  is 
notable  for  its  quiet  and  phlegmatic  habits.  As  feeding  progresses 


688  SWINE 

and  the  animal  enters  the  fat  stage,  there  is  a  natural  tendency 
to  become  sluggish  and  sleep  a  great  deal.  This  results  in  lack 
of  vigor  and  strength  afoot.  To  avoid  this,  persons  who  fit  hogs 
for  the  show  ring  compel  the  animals  to  exercise  to  a  certain 
extent  each  day  for  some  time  prior  to  and  during  the  show 
season.  Some  breeds,  however,  notably  those  of  the  bacon  type, 
being  of  a  more  active  temperament  do  not  require  special  exercise. 
The  color  of  the  pig  is  usually  regarded  as  of  secondary  impor- 
tance, excepting  as  an  evidence  of  purity  of  breeding  or  trueness 
to  type.  The  color  with  some  breeds,  as  the  Chester  White, 
Jersey  Red,  Large  Black,  and  Large  White,  is  made  apparent  to 
the  uninitiated  by  the  name.  In  recent  years  color  has  become 
more  and  more  a  fad,  so  that  breeders  are  not  satisfied  with 
irregularities  in  this  respect.  Color  also  has  its  relationship  to 
climatic  conditions.  In  warm,  moist  climates,  white  is  an  unpopu- 
lar Color  for  swine,  associated  as  it  often  is  with  scurviness  or  sun 
scald.  For  that  reason  black  or  red  pigs  receive  the  preference 
under  such  climatic  conditions.  In  the  tropics  the  dark  skin 
absorbs  heat  from  the  air  more  rapidly  than  does  the  white. 
The  heat  also  radiates  more  quickly  from  the  dark  skin  than  the 
white,  during  which  process  a  black  animal  cools  off  sooner  than 
a  white  one. 


CHAPTER  LXVI 

THE  BERKSHIRE 

The  native  home  of  the  Berkshire  pig  is  in  south-central  England, 
and  more  especially  the  counties  of  Berks  and  Wilts.  The 
neighboring  counties  of  Leicester  and  Stafford  also  have  been 
prominently  associated  with  Berkshire  history.  The  climate  of 
this  section  of  England  is  mildly  temperate.  The  soil  tends  to 
be  a  clay  loam  and  is  cold  and  retentive.  The  standard  crops  of 
this  section  are  the  small  grains,  roots,  and  the  grasses.  Beautiful 
pastures  are  found  in  Berkshire,  where  there  are  lands  that  have 
not  been  plowed  within  the  memory  of  man. 

The  foundation  of  the  Berkshire  breed  is  veiled  in  obscurity.  In 
1767  "A  Country  Gentleman  "  wrote1  as  follows  of  English  swine: 

There  are  three  sorts  of  swine  commonly  bred  in  England ;  the  first  I  shall 
mention  is  the  large  Herefordshire,  or  as  some  would  have  it,  Lincolnshire 
breed,  which  is  the  quickest  grower,  and  ripens  to  the  greatest  size  of  any  we 
know  with  us.  ...  Another  sort,  which  is  famous  here,  is  called  by  some  the 
Bantam  breed,  or  the  Guinea  breed,  or  the  African  hog,  or  the  black  French 
hog.  .  .  .  But  the  sort  of  swine  most  frequent  in  England,  requiring  the  least 
care,  and  bringing  the  most  profit,  are  the  cross  kind,  bred  between  the  two 
foregoing  sorts. 

No  information  of  a  descriptive  nature  in  this  work  offers  any 
evidence  of  the  existence  at  that  time  of  what  might  be  termed 
a  Berkshire  breed.  In  1789  George  Culley,  a  noted  English 
stockman,  wrote  in  an  often-quoted  book 2 : 

The  most  numerous  breed  of  hogs  in  this  island  is  that  excellent  kind 
generally  known  by  the  name  of  the  Berkshire  pigs,  now  spread  through 
almost  every  part  of  England  and  some  places  of  Scotland.  They  are  in 
general  reddish  brown,  with  black  spots  upon  them,  large  ears  hanging  over 
their  eyes,  short-legged,  small-boned,  and  exceedingly  inclined  to  make 
readily  fat. 

1  The  Complete  Grazier  (second  edition),  London. 

2  Observation  on  Live  Stock  (second  edition),  Dublin. 

689 


690 


SWINE 


He  also  testifies  to  the  large  weight  of  the  breed  and  mentions 
one  referred  to  by  Young  weighing  over  1130  pounds,  and  to 
another  still  larger.  Laurence,  in  1790,  agrees  with  Culley 
excepting  in  bone,  which  he  states  was  large,  while  he  also  adds 
that  the  muzzle  turned  up. 

The  first  improvement  of  the  native  Berkshire  pig  was  due  to 
the  use  of  Siamese  or  Chinese  and  Neapolitan  blood.  The 
habitat  and  some  of  the  more  characteristic  features  of  these 
so-called  breeds  are  described  as  follows  by  Low l  and  Youatt.2 


FIG.  324.     Masterpiece    77000,    second-prize    Berkshire    boar    at   the    Louisiana 

Purchase  Exposition,  1904.     Sold  by  A.  J.  Lovejoy  &  Son,  Roscoe,  Illinois,  to 

W.  S.  Corsa  of  Illinois  for  $2500.    One  of  the  greatest  Berkshire  sires.    From 

photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Professor  William  Dietrich 

The  Siamese.  Native  to  southeastern  Asia,  especially  Siam, 
Cochin  China,  Cambodia,  Malacca,  and  Burma,  where  hogs  have 
long  been  domesticated.  The  name  "  Siamese  breed,"  therefore, 
applies  to  extensive  territory,  including  much  more  than  'Siam. 
Low  states  that  the  individuals  are  of  small  size,  with  cylindrical 
body,  back  somewhat  hollow,  and  belly  trailing  near  the  ground 
in  consequence  of  the  shortness  of  limbs.  The  bristles  are  soft, 
approaching  hair  in  character.  The  color  is  usually  black,  and 
the  skin  a  rich  copper  tint.  The  ears  are  short,  small,  and  some- 
what erect.  The  Siamese  pigs  are  less  hardy  and  prolific  than 

1  DavidLow,BreedsoftheDomesticAnirnalsoftheBritishIslands.  London,  1842. 

2  William  Youatt,  The  Pig.    Philadelphia,  1847. 


THE  BERKSHIRE  691 

the  native  races  of  Europe.  They  mature  early  and  fatten  on  a 
small  amount  of  feed,  and  their  flesh  is  white  and  delicate.  Late 
in  the  eighteenth  and  early  in  the  nineteenth  century  English 
and  American  writers  frequently  referred  to  Chinese  swine,  and— 
these  varied  —  some  being  white,  others  black ;  and  some  were 
known  as  Big  China  and  others  as  just  China  or  Chinese.  In 
Great  Britain  the  prevailing  color  was  black,  while  in  America 
China  hogs  were  frequently  white.  It  is  presumable  that  there 
was  more  or  less  confusion  in  the  use  of  the  name  and  that 
Siamese  and  Chinese  may  mean  one  and  the  same  thing.  The 
important  point,  however,  is  that  these  pigs  were  fine  of  quality 
and  fattened  easily,  making  most  desirable  stock  to  cross  with 
the  coarse  British  hogs. 

The  Neapolitan.    Writing  in  1842,  Low  states  : 

At  the  present  time  a  breed  from  the  country  near  Naples  has  been  intro- 
duced and  has  been  employed  very  extensively  to  cross  other  breeds.  This 
breed  is  of  small  size  and  of  a  black  color.  It  is  nearly  destitute  of  hair  or 
bristles,  but  on  being  bred  several  times  in  their  country,  the  bristles  come. 
The  flesh  is  exceedingly  good,  but  the  animals  themselves  are  destitute  of 
hardiness,  and  unsuited  for  general  use.  But  they  have  been  made  to  cross 
the  other  swine  of  the  country,  and  the  progeny  exhibit  much  fineness  of  form 
and  aptitude  to  fatten.  Their  flesh,  too,  is  delicate,  on  which  account  the 
Neapolitan  crosses  are  at  the  present  time  in  considerable  favor  in  several 
parts  of  England. 

Thus,  in  the  days  when  British  shipping  was  bringing  in  hogs 
from  Siam  or  China  and  from  Italy,  they  were  crossed  upon  the 
hogs  of  Berkshire,  thus  lessening  them  in  size,  reducing  coarse- 
ness, and  producing  a  finer  quality  of  pork. 

The  older  Berkshire  type  is  of  special  interest  to  present-day 
students  when  we  consider  the  typical  Berkshire  of  to-day.  The 
two  leading  early  authorities  describing  this  early  type  are  Low 
and  Youatt.  Writing  in  1840,  in  his  great  edition  de  luxe,  of 
the  "  Breeds  of  the  Domestic  Animals  of  the  British  Islands," 
Low  says : 

The  true  Berkshires  are  of  the  larger  races  of  swine,  though  they  fall  short 
in  size  of  some  of  the  older  breeds,  as  the  Hampshire,  the  Rudgwick,  and 
others.  They  are  usually  of  a  reddish  brown  color,  with  brown  or  black  spots, 
a  character  which  makes  it  appear  that  one  of  the  means  employed  to  improve 
them  was  a  cross  with  the  wild  boar.  The  Berkshire  has  long  been  regarded 


692  SWINE 

as  one  of  the  superior  breeds  of  England,  combining  size  with  sufficient  apti- 
tude to  fatten,  and  being  fitted  for  pork  and  bacon.  It  has  been  regarded  also 
as  the  hardiest  of  the  more  improved  breeds.  The  Berkshire  breed  has,  like 
every  other,  been  crossed  and  recrossed  with  the  Chinese  or  Chinese  crosses, 
so  as  to  lessen  the  size  of  the  animal,  and  render  them  more  suited  to  the 
demand  which  has  arisen  for  small  and  delicate  pork.  Many  of  the  modern 
breed  are  nearly  black,  indicating  their  approach  to  the  Siamese  character,  and 
sometimes  they  are  black  broken  with  white,  showing  the  effects  of  the  cross 
with  the  White  Chinese.  From  this  intermixture,  it  becomes  in  many  cases 
difficult  to  recognize  in  the  present  race  the  characters  of  the  true  Berkshire. 


FIG.  325.    Epochal  232232  (imp.),  a  Berkshire  boar  owned  by  the  Gossard  Breed- 
ing Estates,  Martinsville,  Indiana.    Epochal  has  been  widely  advertised  as  a  great 
sire;  and  his  progeny  have  commanded  large  prices.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 
of  the  Gossard  Estates 

Youatt,  writing  about  this  same  time,1  says  that  they  were  sandy 
or  whitish  brown,  spotted  regularly  with  dark  brown  or  black. 
The  body  was  free  of  bristles  and  was  covered  with  long,  thin, 
and  somewhat  curly  hair.  The  ears  were  erect  and  fringed  with 
long  hair,  the  head  and  snout  were  short,  the  body  thick  and  com- 
pact, the  legs  short,  the  skin  thin,  the  flesh  of  good  flavor,  and 
the  bacon  superior.  At  this  time  the  breed  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  best  in  England,  due  to  early  maturity,  easy  fattening, 

1  The  Pig.  1847. 


THE  BERKSHIRE  693 

small  bone,  hardiness,  and  the  prolificacy  of  the  females.  Yet, 
according  to  various  authorities,  there  must  have  been  wide 
extremes  in  color,  size,  and  type  of  the  Berkshire  in  these  forma- 
tive days.  In  1897  Sanders  Spencer,  in  commenting  on  changes 
in  swine,  due  to  the  breeder's  art,  wrote  : 1  "  Take,  for  example, 
the  style,  character,  formation,  and  color  of  a  Berkshire  pig,  which 
was  considered  to  be  of  correct  type  some  forty  years  ago  ;  it  bears 
but  the  very  slightest  resemblance  in  color,  form,  and  character  to 
the  Berkshire  pig  of  the  present  day."  No  one  was  better  qualified 
to  express  this  opinion  than  Mr.  Spencer. 

Important  early  British  improvers  of  the  Berkshire  were 
Richard  Astley  of  Oldstonehall,  whom  Low  notes  as  the  great 
improver  of  the  breed,  and  Lord  Barrington,  who  died  in  1829. 
In  1 860,  Sidney,  a  noted  authority  on  swine,  wrote  that  Lord  Bar- 
rington did  a  great  deal  toward  improving  the  Berkshire  breed, 
the  improved  stock  of  that  time  nearly  all  tracing  back  to  his  herd. 
The  methods  of  these  two  breeders,  however,  have  not  been  given 
publicity,  and  very  little  is  known  concerning  them.  About  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  William  Hewer  of  Sevenhamp- 
ton,  Wiltshire,  was  a  noted  breeder  and  improver.  Closely  follow- 
ing him  came  Russell  Swanwick  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  College 
at  Cirencester  and  Heber  Humfrey  of  Abingdon,  both  of  whom 
did  much  for  the  breed  in  England. 

The  introduction  of  the  Berkshire  pig  to  America  took  place 
in  1823,  according  to  A.  B.  Allen,  who  credits  John  Brentnall, 
an  English  farmer,  who  settled  in  the  English  neighborhood 
in  New  Jersey,  with  this  importation.  In  1832  Sidney  Hawes, 
another  English  farmer,  brought  some  Berkshires  to  America  and 
settled  near  Albany,  New  York.  Allen  states  that  he  owned  pigs 
descended  from  each  of  these  importations.  In  1835  Munson 
Beach  of  Butler  County,  Ohio,  purchased  from  New  York  the 
Berkshire  boar  Dick  Johnson  and  the  old  sow  Superior.  These 
two  individuals  did  much  to  establish  the  Berkshire  in  Ohio,  Ken- 
tucky, Illinois,  and  Missouri.  In  1839  Messrs.  Bagg  and  Wait, 
English  farmers  who  had  settled  in  Orange  County,  New  York, 
made  a  large  importation,  which  they  followed  by  still  others. 
In  1841  A.  B.  Allen  of  New  York,  after  visiting  England  and 

1  The  Pig :  Breeds  and  Management. 


694 


SWINE 


carefully  examining  the  herds  of  that  country,  imported  over 
forty  head.  Later  Allen  imported  more  Berkshires  and  became 
a  prominent  promoter  of  the  breed. 

Characteristics  of  the  Berkshire  pig.  The  face  of  the  Berk- 
shire  should  be  of  medium  length  and  gracefully  dished ;  exces- 
sive dish  is  undesirable,  as  is  a  very  short  head,  these  two  features 
as  a  rule  being  associated  with  the  smaller,  less  growthy  type  of 
pig.  The  ears  in  the  immature  animal  should  be  set  wide  apart  and 
carried  strongly  erect  or  point  slightly  forward ;  with  age  the  ear 

frequently  leans  for- 
ward, but  should  never 
lop  over  the  eyes.  The 
typical  Berkshire  back 
is  not  so  wide  as  Poland 
China  or  Chester 
White,  but  is  of  good 
breadth  and  carried 
with  a  slight  arch.  The 
body  shows  consider- 
able length  and  depth 
of  side  and  is  deep  and 
full  at  the  front  and 
hind  flanks.  The  rump 
should  be  rather  long, 
level,  and  wide,  with 
the  tail  set  high.  In 

the. approved  type  the  entire  back  outline  shows  less  arch  than 
is  characteristic  of  some  of  the  other  breeds.  The  jowl  tends  to 
be  only  moderately  full,  the  shoulders  of  medium  thickness  an-d 
breadth,  and  the  hams  rather  deep  and  full  to  the  hocks,  yet  not 
notably  thick  and  round,  like  a  Poland  China.  The  legs  should  be 
fairly  short ;  individuals  are  frequently  too  leggy.  The  bone  is  of 
fair  quality,  and  Berkshires  stand  moderately  well  on  their  feet. 

The  color  of  the  Berkshire  has  already  been  given,  as  relates  to 
the  formative  period  of  the  breed.  At  the  present  time  and  in 
fact  for  many  years  the  characteristic  color  of  the  body  has  been 
black.  This  has  been  illuminated  by  "  six  white  points,"  the  hair 
of  the  face,  tail,  and  lower  legs  being  more  or  less  white.  White 


FIG.  326.  Sensational  Masterpiece  135260,  one  of 
the  great  sons  of  Masterpiece  77000.  Owned  by 
H.  V.  Shulters,  Mentor,  Ohio.  This  shows  a  great 
boar  in  thin  flesh  on  pasture.  From  photograph 
by  the  author 


THE  BERKSHIRE 


695 


frequently  occurs  also  on  the  jowl  or  on  the  front  arm  or  at  the 
armpit,  by  the  shoulder.  This  color  need  not  occur  in  any  exact 
degree,  and  if  a  white  spot  occur  on  the  body  elsewhere,  there  is 
no  clause  to  disqualify  in  the  "  American  Berkshire  Herdbook?'^ 
The  color  markings  of  English  show  Berkshires  were  studied  by 


FIG.  327.    Princess  Bernice  8th  112969,  at  one  time  owned  by  Sheffield  Farm, 

Glendale,  Ohio.    This  v/as  a  very  fine  sow,  yet  with  irregular  white  markings,  as 

may  be  seen.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

Heber  Humfrey  some  years  ago  at  the  Royal  Show  at  Windsor. 
Quoting  from  Mr.  Humfrey's  report : 

We  examined  every  Berkshire  in  the  show.  Taking  them  at  all  ages,  there 
were  139  animals.  We  took  the  generally  accepted  standard  of  "four  white 
feet,  white  tip  of  tail,  more  or  less  white  in  face,  and  a  little  or  not,  as  the 
case  may  be,  under  the  jowl,  on  the  point  of  the  elbow,  or  inside  the  ear,"  and 
we  found  on  looking  through  our  notes  that  we  had  marked  i  r  9  down  as 
within  the  limits  of  this  standard.  Only  half  a  dozen  were  described  as  having 
serious  defects  in  the  marking ;  the  remaining  1 4  had  only  a  single  small  spot, 
generally  on  the  shoulder  or  between  the  ears ;  one  or  two  were  on  the  sides, 
but  several  of  them  not  large  enough  to  attract  notice  if  we  had  not  been  look- 
ing for  them.  Out  of  the  half  dozen  which  we  thought  might  be  ruled  out  of 
competition,  only  one  had  a  second  objection  :  this  was  a  spot  on  the  front 
and  another  on  the  back  of  the  ham ;  the  second  had  a  large  sandy  and  white 
spot  on  the  bottom  of  the  shoulder ;  a  third  had  a  black  foot ;  Nos.  4  and  5 
had  black  tails,  and  the  6th  a  white  ear. 


696  SWINE 

Occasionally  pure-bred  Berkshires  are  found  in  the  herd  that  are 
irregular  in  color  or  markings.  The  author  has  seen  a  number  of 
animals  in  service  marked  with  white  on  the  body  where  it  is 
not  expected  to  occur,  and  he  has  also  seen  on  several  occasions 
Berkshires  with  hair  of  a  noticeable  tint  of  red  or  copper  color. 
This  red  tint  in  the  hair  is  not  an  uncommon  characteristic  and 
is  no  doubt  an  inheritance  from  the  early  Berkshire  parentage. 
In  fact  a  breed  of  red  Berkshires  is  credited  to  Kentucky,  the  red 
hair  being  a  distinctive  feature.  If  color  is  important  in  breed 
identification,  then  it  should  be  reasonably  uniform  in  character, 
and  distinct  irregularities  should  justify  disqualification.  In  fact,  in 
1893  the  British  Berkshire  Society  suggested  that  judges  disqualify 
pigs  notably  irregular  in  markings  or  with  black  face  or  foot. 

The  size  of  the  Berkshire  pig  may  by  classed  as  medium  to 
large.  In  1842  Low  wrote  that  "the  true  Berkshires  are  of  the 
larger  races  of  swine."  In  1893  Professor  Long  wrote: 

Thirty  years  ago  .  .  .  some  of  Mr.  Sadler's  prize  pigs  under  seven  months 
old  weighed  240  pounds  each,  although  they  were  turned  out  into  an  orchard 
daily  while  fattening.  The  same  gentleman  exhibited,  and  won  the  first  prize 
at  Baker  Street  with  a  fat  pig  which  weighed  856  pounds,  the  length  of  her 
body  being  6  feet  4  inches  and  her  girth  7  feet  6  inches.  At  that  time,  how- 
ever, the  ordinary  weight  of  a  well-bred  Berkshire  bacon  hog  was,  when  ready 
for  the  butcher,  about  50  stone  of  8  pounds  (400  pounds),  but  for  the  curing 
of  the  best  hams  these  were  generally  considered  a  little  too  large. 

The  Berkshire  is  sometimes  advertised  under  the  name  "  Large 
English  Berkshire,"  £>ut  in  England  only  one  Berkshire  breed  exists, 
and  the  title  "  Large  English  "  is  rather  uncalled  for  and  misleading. 
Young  pigs  at  six  months  old  should  easily  weigh  175  pounds 
and  at  one  year  about  300  pounds.  The  ordinary  mature  boar  in 
breeding  condition  should  weigh  500  pounds  and  sows  400  pounds. 
The  British  Berkshire  Society  gives  the  following  as  standard 
weights : 1  "  Berkshire  sows  at  six  months  of  age  in  ordinary 
growing  condition,  given  proper  exercise,  weigh  from  150  to  160 
pounds  and  boars  from  160  to  170  pounds.  Sows  in  breeding 
condition  weigh  from  400  to  500  pounds  at  one  year  of  age  and 
550  to  650  pounds  when  full  grown.  Boars  one  year  old  have 
been  known  to  weigh  600  pounds  in  show  condition."  The  latter 

1  Annual  Report  (1917),  p.  n. 


THE  BERKSHIRE 


697 


weights  will  impress  many  as  quite  extreme  and  rarely  reached 
with  one  year's  development.  The  following  noted  Berkshire 
boars  have  been  credited  with  the  weights  given  against  their 
names:  Longfellow  16835  at  seventeen  months,  726  pounds; 
Lord  Premier  50001  at  seven  years,  890  pounds  ;  Lord  Premier's 
Successor  1 6 1 500  weighed  i  ooo  pounds  in  show  form  ;  Sensational 
Masterpiece  135260  in  show  form,  1000  pounds;  Baron's  Suc- 
cessor 197499,  grand  champion  1916  International,  860  pounds; 
King  Lee  27500  at  ten  months,  420  pounds;  Longfellow's 
Double  209000  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five 
days  old,  507  pounds. 
One  of  the  special 
needs  cf  the  present 
day  is  that  Berkshires 
at  maturity  should 
show  plenty  of  size 
and  quality. 

The  Berkshire  as  a 
grazing  pig  ranks  high 
wherever  fairly  tried. 
On  the  clover  fields  of 
the  Middle  West  they 
thrive  to  perfection, 


FIG.  328.  Grand  Leader  2d  190377,  by  Superbus 
136000,  grand-champion  Berkshire  boar  at  the 
Panama- Pacific  Exposition,  San  Francisco,  1915. 
A  notable  recent-day  sire,  bred  by  W.  A.  Corsa, 
Whitehall,  Illinois.  Owned  and  exhibited  by  A.  B. 
Humphrey,  Mayhews,  California.  From  photograph, 
by  courtesy  of  the  Berkshire  World 


while  rape  pasture  in 
the  more  northerly  sec- 
tions seems  well  suited 
to  them.  In  general  pasturage  in  America,  Berkshires  hold  their  own. 
Writing  of  the  Berkshires  as  foragers,  Walker  states  that  they  are 
hardly  surpassed  when  grown  in  a  temperate  climate.  He  says  : 

You  may  see  herds  of  a  score  or  two  each,  any  year  towards  October,  run- 
ning over  the  wide  stubble  fields  on  the  borders  of  Wiltshire,  nearly  average 
pork,  and  yet  they  have  made  their  growth  and  their  flesh  pretty  much  on 
waste  material,  that  is,  shed  corn,  weeds,  roots,  pasturage,  and  so  on. 

The  Berkshire  as  a  feeder  has  a  very  creditable  record.  A 
number  of  American  agricultural  experiment  stations  have  con- 
ducted feeding  trials  in  which  breed  comparison  was  a  feature. 
In  twenty-three  trials,  involving  123  Berkshires  fed  at  eight 


698  SWINE 

institutions  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  it  required  369 
pounds  of  feed  for  each  100  pounds  of  gain  in  live  weight, 
the  Tamworth,  Chester  White,  and  Poland  China  surpassing  the 
Berkshire  in  this  respect.  In  breed  tests  at  the  Iowa  Experiment 
Station  the  Berkshire  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  .98  pound, 
the  Poland  China  .90,  and  the  Chester  White  .89  pound,  the 
cost  per  100  pounds'  gain  being  $2.33,  $2.23,  and  $2.46 
respectively.  At  the  Ontario  Agricultural  College  the  average  of 
trials  for  four  years  show  almost  identically  the  same  daily  gains, 
requiring  a  less  amount  of  meal  than  any  other  breed ;  that  is, 
3 78 1  pounds  for  100  pounds  of  gain.  At  the  Massachusetts 
Experiment  Station  7  Berkshires,  fed  one  hundred  and  forty 
days,  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  1.16  pounds  each,  requiring 
289  pounds  of  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain.  From  the  records 
quoted  above  or  published  elsewhere  it  may  be  seen  that  the 
Berkshire  as  a  feeder  ranks  well,  though  the*  average  of  breed 
trials  do  not  give  it  first  place.  Among  British  authorities  on 
swine  Professor  Long  takes  high  rank,  and  in  his  "  Book  of  the 
Pig"  he  writes  of  "its  comparative  slowness  as  a  feeder"  and 
says  that  it  is  generally  found  that  a  fast-feeding  Berkshire  has 
not  only  alien  blood  in  its  veins  but  that,  when  killed,  it  exhibits 
far  too  large  a  proportion  of  fat.  At  the  International  Live- Stock 
Exposition  in  past  years  most  of  the  grand-champion  carload  lots 
of  feeders  have  been  pure-bred  or  high-grade  Berkshires. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  the  Berkshire  are  not  of  the  first 
rank.  Individual  animals  of  the  breed  may  attain  ample  size  and 
mature  early,  but  as  a  breed  the  Berkshire  is  secondary  in  the 
capacity  to  mature  early  and  yet  reach  a  satisfactory  weight. 
Without  question  many  persons  have  discontinued  breeding 
Berkshires  on  account  of  slow  maturity  and  lack  of  size.  The 
most  successful  Berkshire  breeders  of  to-day  are  those  who  have 
produced  a  large  type  of  pig  which  matured  with  fair  rapidity, 
making  satisfactory  comparison  with  other  breeds. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Berkshire  to  a  wide  range  of  conditions 
is  of  the  first  class.  The  breed  is  found  in  special  favor  over 
much  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  irrespective  of  elevation 
or  temperature.  There  are  famous  herds  on  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  coasts,  as  well  as  in  Canada  and  the  gulf  states  of  the 


THE  BERKSHIRE  699 

South.  Walker,  however,  in  discussing  the  adaptability  of  the 
Berkshire  to  climate  says :  "As  far  as  our  own  actual  experience 
goes,  Berkshires  do  not  prove  nearly  so  profitable  in  the  north 
of  England  and  in  Scotland  as  in  the  south,  and  this  harmo- 
nizes with  our  remark  that  they  love  warmth  and  a  genial  clime." 
In  spite  of  this  opinion  it  is  doubtless  true  that  no  breed  of 
swine  is  bred  and  fed  under  more  varied  climatic  and  other 
conditions  with  the  success  that  is  attained  with  the  Berkshire. 


FIG.  329.  Double's  Duchess  5th  252585,  first-prize  junior  yearling  and  champion 
Berkshire  female  at  the  1918  International  Live-Stock  Exposition.  Bred  and 
shown  by  Hood  Farm,  Lowell,  Massachusetts.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

the  Berkshire  World 

The  quality  of  Berkshire  pork,  viewed  from  the  standpoint  of 
the  American  market,  is  of  the  very  best  class.  Fed  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  Poland-China,  Chester  White,  and  Duroc-Jersey, 
the  Berkshire  will  show  a  class  of  meat  with  a  larger  percentage 
of  lean  than  any  of  them.  In  feeding  experiments  conducted  by 
the  author  at  the  Indiana  Station,  in  a  comparison  of  Berkshires 
and  Poland-Chinas  bearing  on  the  influence  of  food  on  carcass, 
the  larger  percentage  of  lean  to  fat  in  the  Berkshire  was  strik- 
ingly shown.  The  meat  of  this  breed  has  a  fine  grain  and,  when 
not  all  corn  fed,  a  desirable  blending  of  fat  and  lean.  In  certain 
localities  where  select  sausages  are  made  Berkshire  pork  has  been 


700  SWINE 

relied  upon  for  securing  superior  quality.  Where  properly  fed 
this  breed  makes  a  bacon  pig  of  high  class,  and  is  so  regarded 
in  Great  Britain,  though  it  may  not  be  the  equal  of  the  Large 
Yorkshire  or  Tamworth  in  this  respect. 

In  carcass  contests  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition 
the  Berkshire  has  won  a  high  place.  In  1917  the  Berkshire  not 
only  was  awarded  grand-champion  carcass  but  won  more  carcass 
prizes  than  any  other  breed.  In  1916  the  grand-champion  carcass 
was  a  Berkshire.  At  the  Smithfield  Club  shows  in  London, 
from  1904  to  1916  inclusive,  Berkshire  carcasses  won  all  the 
championships,  a  remarkable  showing.  Not  only  this,  but  the 
first  prizes  in  every  class  have  been  won  every  time  by  Berkshires, 
excepting  on  six  occasions,  and  on  two  of  these  the  winners  were 
Berkshire  crossbreds. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Berkshire,  where  fair  samples  of  pigs 
are  used  in  breeding,  merit  high  praise.  A  cross  of  Berkshire 
boar  on  Poland-China  sows  produces  offspring  that  feed  rapidly 
and  sell  well,  the  two  breeds  blending  admirably.  This  cross 
gives  more  vigor  and  a  'better  feeder.  Also  a  cross  of  the 
Berkshire  on  the  Chester  White  female  is  productive  of  a  better 
feeder  than  the  sire,  with  a  class  of  pork  superior  to  that  of  the 
dam.  The  great  value  of  the  Berkshire  in  crossing  is  amply 
demonstrated  from  the  fact  that  the  blood  of  the  breed  has  been 
used  to  improve  that  of  other  breeds  for  over  a  century,  and  no 
doubt  has  done  much  to  help  the  most  prominent  breeds  of 
to-day  in  their  early  stages.  Sidney  states  that  Fisher  Hobbs, 
who  did  much  in  improving  British  pigs,  used  the  Berkshire  as 
a  cross  on  his  Essex  pigs,  and  thereby  size  and  condition  were 
materially  affected.  In  fact,  so  strong  was  the  Berkshire  influence 
that  some  twenty-eight  years  after  the  cross  was  made  some,  of 
the  young  Essex  reverted  to  their  alien  ancestor  and  were,  in 
reality,  exact  types  of  the  true  Berkshire  pig.  Mr.  W.  H.  Wykes, 
an  experienced  breeder,  according  to  Long,  finds  that  the  best 
crosses  are  made  by  the  Berkshire  on  the  Black  Suffolk  and  the 
Tamworth.  The  value  of  the  Berkshire  boar  in  grading  up  a  herd 
is  unquestioned.  Feeders  of  such  blood  always  command  the  top 
price  in  America  and  are  purchased  by  discriminating  buyers  who 
recognize  the  place  the  well-finished  feeder  has  in  the  market. 


THE  BERKSHIRE  701 

The  style  and  finish  of  the  Berkshire,  when  well  bred,  are  of 
the  very  best.  The  symmetrical  outline,  the  shapely  head  and 
pricked-up  ear,  and  the  easy  movement,  so  characteristic  of 
the  breed,  add  to  its  popularity.  Persons  not  familiar  with  the 
breeds  of  swine  are  usually  favorably  impressed  with  the  appearance 
of  the  Berkshire  if  well  cared  for  and  typical  of  the  breed. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Berkshire  is  of  a  fair  degree  of  merit. 
An  extensive  study  of  the  relative  prolificacy  of  three  breeds 


FIG.  330.    A  Berkshire  sow  and  litter.    Owned  by  Brookline  Farm,  Aurora, 
Illinois.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  L.  E.  Troeger 

of  swine  (the  Berkshire,  Poland-China,  and  Chester  White)  by 
Dr.  A.  W.  Bitting  shows  that  the  average  size  of  40x3  Berkshire 
litters  was  8.22  pigs,  while  600  Chester  White  litters  averaged 
8.96  pigs  and  1086  Poland-China  litters  averaged  7.45.  These 
records  were  based  on  herdbook  figures  of  sizes  of  litters.  There 
are  many  large  litters  of  Berkshire  pigs,  and  litters  of  10  are 
not  uncommon.  Walker  states  that  about  7  or  8  at  a  farrow  are 
reckoned  an  average  family  for  even  the  older  sows.  William 
Ashcroft,  a  successful  English  breeder,  is  quoted  by  Professor 
Long  as  saying  that  the  tendency  to  produce  medium  litters, 
of  say  6  to  8,  may  be  corrected  by  breeding  less  closely.  "  If 


;02  SWINE 

unrelated  stock  pigs  are  used,"  says  Ashcroft,  "the  litters  will 
come  pretty  regularly  twice  a  year  and  average  about  8  to  n." 
There  are  numerous  instances  of  large  litters  of  Berkshires. 
Among  these  the  following  by  a  firm  claiming  to  be  the  largest 
breeders  of  Berkshires  in  America  is  of . interest : J 

We  have  a  strain  of  sows  we  term  High  wood  Columbias.  Sows  of  this 
strain  in  our  herd  have  farrowed  during  March,  1912,  as  follows:  one  sow 
farrowed  10,  the  next  one  farrowed  14,  the  next  13.  These  latter  two  were 
yearlings.  The  next  one  farrowed  14,  which  makes  just  130  pigs  this  sow  has 
farrowed  in  ten  consecutive  litters ;  another  farrowed  9  and  another  1 8.  This 
last  sow,  farrowing  1 8,  farrowed  1 5  her  first  litter,  and  she  is  a  full  sister  of  the 
sow  that  has  farrowed  130  in  ten  litters.  These  sows  have  been  selected  and 
bred  with  this  end  in  view,  apparently  with  some  success. 

The  Berkshire  ranks  very  well  as  a  producer  of  good-sized  litters, 
and  this  more  especially  applies  in  regions  where  corn  is  not  the 
important  feature  of  the  diet. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Berkshire  is  of  the  first  class.  Being 
one  of  the  oldest  breeds,  long  bred  with  care,  its  prepotency  has 
become  well  established.  Compared  with  breeds  of  swine  of 
American  origin,  this  undoubtedly  is  more  prepotent.  When 
Berkshire  males  are  used  in  crossing  or -grading,  the  dominant 
characteristics  of  the  breed  are  reproduced  with  much  uniformity. 

Important  Berkshire  families.  Among  those  especially  worthy 
of  note  are  the  following  :  Duchess,  of  which  Royal  Duchess 
900,  by  Othello  259,  is  the  founder;  Sallie,  descended  from 
Sallie  I,  by  Duke  of  Gloucester  I ;  Charmer,  descended  from 
Royal  Charmer  9082,  by  Exor  3891  ;  Lee,  descended  from  Minnie 
Lee  14606,  by  Exor  3891  ;  Nora,  descended  from  Nora  B.  14052, 
by  Liverpool  Bob  10417  ;  Artful  Belle,  descended  from  Artful 
Belle  24th  50023,  by  Baron  Lee  4th  33446.  Most  of  these 
foundation  sows  date  back  many  years,  and  so  we  have  subfamilies, 
offshoots  from  the  above,  that  are  more  or  less  prominent. 

Famous  Berkshire  boars  in  the  history  of  the  breed  in  America 
make  up  an  extended  list.  Among  those  prominent  mainly  for 
their  influence  on  the  breed  are  Othello  259,  Lord  Liverpool  221, 
Charmer's  Duke  13360,  Longfellow  16835,  Baron  Lee  IV  33446, 
Lord  Premier  50001,  Governor  Lee  4/9/1,  Combination  56028, 

1  H.  C.  and  H.  B.  Harpending  in  National  Stockman  and  Fanner,  May  2,  1912. 


THE  BERKSHIRE 


703 


Royal  Windsor  22889,  Model  Duke  17397,  Columbia's  Duke 
33855,  Masterpiece  77000,  Lord  Premier's  Successor  161500, 
Superbus  136000,  Grand  Leader  2d  190377,  and  Epochal  232232. 
Of  the  above  Longfellow  had  far  more  influence  on  the  breed— 
than  any  other  sire.  Masterpiece  also  was  one  of  the  most 
famous  of  Berkshire  sires.  In  recent  years  the  breeding  of 
Epochal  has  received  much  attention  and  special  advertising. 

High  prices  for 
Berkshire  pigs.  In 
1889  N.  H.  Gentry 
sold  the  yearling  boar 
Model  Duke  17397  at 
private  sale  to  Andrew 
Smith  of  California  for 
$750.  Mr.  Gentry  paid 
$700  for  Lord  Liver- 
pool 221  in  England. 
In  the  seventies  Robin 
Hood  80 1  was  sold  by 
T.  S.  Cooper  of  Penn- 
sylvania for  $1400.  In 

1903  Mr.  Gentry  sold  FIG.  331.  Baron  Duke  5th,  champion  Berkshire 
Lord  Premier  ^OOOI  barrow  at  the  1916  International  Live-Stock  Expo- 

r*     C     C  'If  sition,  and  grand  champion  over  all  breeds,  grades 

and  crossbreds.    Bred  and  exhibited  by  Sheffield 

$  I  500.  This  boar  died  Farm,  Glendale,  Ohio.  From  photograph  by  Hilde- 
in  IQO^  after  which  brand,  by  courtesy  of  Sheffield  Farm 

Mr.   Council    bought 

Premier  Longfellow  68600  of  Mr.  Gentry  for  $2000.  The  grand- 
champion  sow  of  the  breed  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition, 
Duchess  279th  75009,  was  sold  for  $2000  to  Still  &  Laughlin 
of  Missouri.  In  1905  A.  J.  Lovejoy  of  Illinois  sold  Masterpiece 
77000  to  W.  S.  Corsa  of  the  same  state  for  $2500.  In  1906 
James  Qurollo  of  Missouri  sold  to  F.  W.  Morgan  of  Wisconsin  the 
boar  Lord  Bacon  87415  for  $3000.  In  1906,  at  a  public  sale  of 
G.  C.  Council  of  Illinois,  Lord  Premier's  Rival  92805  sold  for 
$3200  to  I.  L.  Weirick  of  the  same  state.  Star  Value  117336 
sold  by  E.  J.  Barker  of  Indiana  at  private  sale  to  Townshend 
Farms  of  Ohio  for  $4000.  Star  Masterpiece  102000  sold  at 


704  SWINE 

auction  by  W.  S.  Corsa  for  $5500  to  Kinloch  Farm  of  Missouri. 
Rival's  Lord  Premier  113100  when  six  years  old  sold  for  $4050. 
Epochal's  Emancipator  250000  is  reported  by  the  Gossard  Estate 
to  have  been  sold  by  them  in  1918  to  Tom  Stanton  for  $10,000. 
Many  Berkshires  have  changed  hands  at  from  $500  to  $1000 
per  head.  Seventeen  daughters  of  Lord  Premier  are  credited 
with  having  brought  a  total  of  $10,560,  or  an  average  of 
$62 1  each. 

The  distribution  of  the  Berkshire  pig  is  very  widespread.  It  is 
found  in  various  parts  of  England,  although  more  generally  in  the 
south  section.  It  is  also  found  to  some  extent  in  Scotland,  Wales, 
and  Ireland.  On  the  continent  of  Europe  the  breed  is  not  so 
common,  although  it  has  been  more  or  less  exported  to  various 
European  countries.  In  the  British  provinces  of  Canada  and 
Australasia  the  Berkshire  is  common.  Between  1905  and  1916 
there  were  issued  2272  export  certificates  by  the  British  Berkshire 
Society,  1000  being  for  Argentina,  148  for  the  United  States, 
129  for  Russia,  200  for  South  Africa,  163  for  Brazil,  and  94  for 
Germany.  In  the  United  States  no  breed  is  more  widely  dis- 
tributed than  this,  and  it  is  generally  found  all  over  the  Union, 
although  it  is  perhaps  most  common  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Michigan,  and  Wisconsin. 
In  recent  years  Berkshires  have  attracted  considerable  attention 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  especially  in  California.  In  the  South  they 
have  a  great  lead  over  other  breeds  as  a  popular  favorite. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  the  Berkshire  pig  exist  in 
England  and  the  United  States.  The  American  Berkshire  Swine 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  1875  at  Springfield,  Illinois, 
since  which  time  to  January,  1918,  fifty-three  herdbooks  have  been 
published,  including  the  registration  of  235,000  pigs.  The  National 
Berkshire  Record  Association  was  organized  March  i,  1893,  at 
Indianapolis,  Indiana.  This  society  up  to  1905  had  published 
seven  herdbooks,  including  the  registration  of  about  9000  animals. 
This  organization  is  now  defunct.  The  "  British  Berkshire  Herd- 
book,"  published  by  the  British  Berkshire  Society,  first  appeared 
in-  1885,  since  which  time,  up  to  1919,  thirty-five  volumes  have 
thus  far  appeared,  registering  about  21,000  animals. 


CHAPTER  LXVII 

THE  DUROC-JERSEY 

Red,  or  sandy-colored,  pigs  have  been  bred  in  America  for  very 
many  years.  When  pigs  of  this  color  were  first  imported  is  not 
recorded.  A  number  of  so-called  breeds  of  red  pigs  were  kept 
early  in  the  last  century,  and  from  these  it  has  been  assumed 
the  present-day  red  American  pig,  the  Duroc-Jersey,  is  descended. 
One  well-known  breeder  of  red  hogs  in  New  Jersey,  in  a  circular 
published  about  1913,  states  that  "a  century  ago  the  Jersey  Red 
was  known  as  the  hog  native  to  New  Jersey." 

The  Guinea  breed  of  pigs  is  frequently  referred  to  in  agricultural 
writings  of  a  half  century  or  more  ago.  In  that  section  of.  western 
Africa  known  as  Guinea,  slave-trading  ships  secured  cargoes  for 
American  ports.  Here  existed  a  red,  or  sandy,  breed  of  swine,  which 
no  doubt  found  its  way  to  our  shores.  Youatt  states  that  .these  pigs 
were  "  large  in  size,  square  in  form,  of  a  reddish  color,  the  body 
covered  with  short,  bristly  hair,  and  smoother  and  more  shiny  than 
almost  any  other  variety  of  the  porcine  race."  W.  H.  Montgomery 
in  1852  wrote  that  the  Red  Guinea  hog  was  imported  into  his 
county  in  Iowa  in  1849  from  Steuben  County,  New  York.  A 
correspondent  of  the  American  Farmer  states  that  the  African, 
or  Guinea,  breed  was  brought  to  America  as  early  as  1804  or 
possibly  earlier. 

The  Portuguese  breed  of  pigs  was  imported  from  Portugal  by 
Daniel  Webster,  about  1852,  for  his  farm  in  Massachusetts.  They 
arrived  at  New  York  about  the  time  of  Webster's  death,  and  his 
heirs  disposed  of  them  to  S.  W.  Jewett  of  Middlebury,  Vermont, 
and  A.  E.  Beach  of  New  York.  They  were  dark  red  in  color,  and 
in  form  resembled  the  Chinese  pig.  Red  pigs  from  the  Webster 
importation  and  ancestry  were  distributed  over  several  states  east 
and  south; 

Spanish  red  pigs  were  imported  by  Henry  Clay  in  1837,  four  in 
number,  and  taken  to  his  farm,  Ashland,  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 

705 


706  SWINE 

where  they  bred  and  successfully  increased.  This  stock  met  with 
favor  and  was  considerably  distributed  south,  notably  in  Kentucky 
and  Virginia.  These  had  erect  ears  and  were  of  a  red  color. 

The  Berkshire  as  a  source  of  red  swine  early  occupied  a  place 
of  prominence.  Writings  relating  to  swine  prior  to  1875  commonly 
refer  to  the  more  or  less  red  color  of  this  breed.  Undoubtedly 
numerous  red,  or  sandy-colored,  Berkshires  were  imported  to 
America  many  years  ago.  In  view  of  the  generally  accepted 


FIG.  332.    Ohio  Chief  8727  a,  first-prize  aged  Duroc-Jersey  boar  at  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition,  1904.    One  of  the  great  sires  of  the  breed.    Bred  and  ex- 
hibited by  S.  E.  Morton  &  Co.,  Camden,  Ohio.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy 
of  Professor  William  Dietrich 

prevalence  of  sandy-haired  Berkshires  early  in  the  last  century, 
and  their  considerable  use  in  crossing  on  other  breeds,  it  would 
not  seem  unreasonable  to  believe  that  the  Duroc-Jersey  inherited 
its  color  to  some  degree  from  the  Berkshire. 

The  Jersey  Red  breed  of  pigs  was  for  many  years  a  favorite 
one  in  New  Jersey  and  the  East.  They  were  very  large  and  coarse, 
weights  of  500  to  600  pounds  being  common,  with  specimens  ex- 
ceeding 1000  pounds.  In  reporting  on  this  breed- to  the  National 
Swine  Breeders'  Convention  in  1872,  Colonel  F.  D.  Curtis  stated 
that  D.  M.  Brown  of  Windsor,  New  Jersey,  had  known  of  them 
back  to  nearly  1832.  In  neighborhoods  they  were  bred  very 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY  707 

uniformly,  the  color  usually  being  a  dark  red,  although  in  some 

sections  they  were  light  sandy,  and  often  "patched  with  white." 

The  characteristics  of  the  Jersey  Red  as  agreed  upon  by  the 

National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention  in  1872  were  as  follows: 

A  good  specimen  of  a  Jersey  Red  should  be  red  in  color,  with  a  snout  of 
moderate  length,  large  lop  ears,  small  head  in  proportion  to  size  and  length 
of  body.  They  should  be  long  in  the  body,  standing  high  and  rangy  on  their 
legs  ;  bone  coarse,  hairy  tail  and  brush,  and  hair  coarse,  inclining  to  bristles  on 
the  back.  They  are  valuable  on  account  of  their  size  and  strong  constitution  and 
capacity  for  growth.  They  are  not  subject  to  mange. 

It  is  said1  that  the  breed  was  first  named  Jersey  Reds  in  1857 
by  Joseph  B.  Lyman,  then  agricultural  editor  of  the  New  York 
Tribune.  Previous  to  this  period  they  had  been  commonly  called 
Red  hogs  and  Durocs. 

In  August,  1880,  a  writer  in  the  National  Live  Stock  Journal 
refers  to  "  Jersey  Reds  or  Durocs  "  as  sandy  or  yellowish-red  hogs 
with  black  spots,  large  of  size,  but  not  very  uniform  of  appearance, 
and  probably  mainly  derived  from  some  of  the  earlier  importa- 
tions of  Berkshire  swine  of  this  color.  "  In  fact  they  bear  a  close 
resemblance,  so  far  as  they  have  a  uniformity  of  type  at  all,  to 
the  large  Berkshire  of  fifty  years  ago."  A  letter  received  in  1913 
from  a  man  prominent  in  live-stock  affairs  in  New  Jersey  contains 
the  following  statement : 

There  exists  among  certain  swine  growers  a  relative  of  the  old  Jersey  Red 
breed  of  swine.  They  are  quite  characteristic  of  the  old  type  of  hog  that  is 
described  as  the  predominating  type  of  this  breed,  but  unfortunately  we  do 
not  have  very  many  breeders  that  have  attempted  to  modernize  and  continually 
improve  the  type.  They  are  much  smaller  than  the  prevailing  type  in  the  corn 
belt  of  the  Duroc-Jerseys,  evidence  less  quality  and  finish,  are  somewhat  darker 
in  color,  and  require  a  longer  feeding  period  than  prevails  generally  in  the 
corn  belt. 

The  Duroc  breed  of  red  pigs  is  said  to  have  been  established  by 
Isaac  Frink  of  Milton,  Saratoga  County,  New  York.  In  1823  he 
obtained  a  red  boar  pig  from  a  litter  of  ten,  the  product  of  a  pair 
of  red  pigs  purchased  in  1822  by  Harry  Kelsey  of  Florida,  New 
York,  from  persons  either  at  Oyster  Bay,  Queens  County,  New 

1  Robert  J.  Evans,  History  of  the  Duroc.    Chicago,  1918. 


;o8  SWINE 

York,  or  imported  from  England,  concerning  which  point  there  is 
doubt.  Mr.  Kelsey  owned  the  famous  stallion  Duroc,  and  the  pigs 
in  question  were  known  simply  as  red  pigs.  Mr.  Frink  called  his 
boar  and  descendants  Durocs,  in  honor  of  the  horse.  This  boar 
was  crossed  on  common  sows,  and  many  of  the  offspring  resem- 
bled him,  being  long  and  deep  of  body,  lop-eared,  heavy  of  shoulder 
and  ham,  quiet  of  disposition,  and  making  rapid  growth.  The 
Durocs  were  finer  in  bone  and  carcass  than  the  Jersey  Reds.  In 
1830  William  Ensign  of  Stillwater,  Saratoga  County,  secured  a 


FIG.  333.    Orion  Chief  13333,  a  champion  Duroc-Jersey  boar  at  the  Louisiana 

Purchase  Exposition.    A  great  sire  of  brood  sows.    Bred  by  Ira  Jackson  of  Ohio, 

and  sold  to  Thomas  Johnson,  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  $3500.    From  photograph,  by 

courtesy  of  the  National  Stockman  and  Farmer 

pair  of  red  pigs  from  Connecticut,  where  they  were  known  as 
Red  Berkshires.  The  following  year  he  purchased  still  more,  and 
from  then  on  for  some  years  was  an  active  breeder  and  distributor 
of  Durocs.  The  Frink  and  Ensign  families  of  Durocs  became 
very  popular. 

The  origin  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  pig  is  the  result  of  the  amal- 
gamation of  the  blood  of  these  early  red  breeds  or  families. 
Colonel  F.  D.  Curtis  of  Saratoga  County,  New  York,  long  a 
breeder  and  familiar  with  existing  conditions,  did  much  to  pro- 
mote improvement  of  this  breed  during  the  stage  of  amalgama- 
tion. Mr.  William  H.  Holmes  also  was  a  leading  breeder  and 
improver  in  Colonel  Curtis's  time.  The  Durocs  of  New  York,  the 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY  709 

Red  Berkshires  of  Connecticut,  and  the  Red  Rocks  of  Vermont, 
as  they  were  called,  were  of  the  same  general  type.  Some  system 
in  breeding  was  attempted,  and  in  1877  the  breeders  of  Washing- 
ton and  Saratoga  Counties  in  New  York  met  and  decided  what 
the  characteristics  of  the  best  type  of  this  red  pig  should  be.  This 
standard,  which  was  published  in  the  agricultural  press,  was  the 
first  thing  of  the  kind  printed  regarding  red  pigs  and  was  essen- 
tially the  one  adopted  by  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Conven- 
tion at  Indianapolis  in  1872.  In  1885  Colonel  Curtis  wrote  that 
the  breeders  of  the  so-called  Red  Berkshire  and  Red  Rocks 
cordially  united  with  the  New  York  men,  and  the  Duroc-Jersey 
standard  was  universally  accepted  by  the  best  breeders  of  all  the 
red  hogs  of  America. 

The  improvement  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  began  with  the  union  of 
the  breeders'  interests.  It  resulted  in  a  pig  of  some  less  scale  than 
the  Jersey  Red,  lacking  its  coarseness,  having  a  better  quality  of 
flesh,  feeding  easier,  and  maturing  more  readily  at  a  younger  age. 
Instead  of  developing  a  big  hog,  one  of  medium  scale  was.  re- 
garded as  preferable.  The  standard  of  the  old  type  of  Berkshire 
closely  resembled  the  Duroc-Jersey  as  late  as  1880.  Since  then 
the  Berkshire  has  perhaps  become  more  refined  than  before, 
and  for  some  time  the  Duroc-Jersey  showed  evidences  of  a  simi- 
lar improvement.  However,  realizing  that  much  criticism  was 
being  directed  by  swine  raisers  at  excessive  refinement,  especially 
in  the  case  of  the  Poland-China,  Duroc-Jersey  breeders  began 
to  emphasize  size  and  bone,  not  losing  sight  of  quality.  This 
improvement  perhaps  dates  from  the  year  1900,  since  which  time 
the  breed  has  made  marked  progress.  In  fact,  no  other  breed  as  a 
whole  has  made  so  pronounced  improvement  in  recent  years  as 
has  the  Duroc-Jersey. 

Characteristics  of  the  Duroc-Jersey.  The  head  is  of  medium 
size,  though  with  young  boars  it  sometimes  appears  somewhat 
long.  The  face  is  either  straight  or  slightly  dished,  the  nose  of 
medium  size  and  length,  and  the  forehead  of  fair  width.  Duroc 
breeders  emphasize  large,  well-placed  eyes  and  clearness  of  vision. 
The  ears  are  of  medium  size,  moderately  thin,  and,  according  to 
the  official  scale  of  points,  "pointing  forward  and  downward  and 
slightly  outward,  carrying  a  slight  curve."  The  fact  is  the  ear 


SWINE 


should  break  over  at  its  top  third,  with  a  tendency  to  carry  the 
lower  two  thirds  somewhat  erect.  The  back  of  the  approved  type 
has  considerable  length  and  exhibits  a  somewhat  strong  arch. 
With  maturity  the  body  shows  much  depth,  but  immature  animals 
often  appear  shallow  bodied  and  long  of  leg ;  however,  from  this 
conformation  comes  the  big  type  of  Duroc-Jersey  that  in  1919 
was  in  such  great  favor  —  the  short,  deep-bodied,  short-legged  pig 


FIG.  334.    Orion  Cherry  King  42475,  perhaps  the  most  noted  Duroc-Jersey  sire 

of  recent  years.    Bred  and  owned  by  Ira  Jackson,  Tippecanoe  City,  Ohio.    From 

photograph  by  the  author.    The  light  color  shown  is  largely  due  to  the  picture's 

being  taken  when  this  boar  had  a  very  thin  coat  of  hair 

never  attains  the  large  size  valued  by  the  best  breeders.  The  ham 
of  the  Duroc-Jersey  tends  to  be  long  from  the  top  of  the  rump  to 
the  hocks,  but  frequently  lacks  the  fullness  or  thickness  of  lower 
thigh  and  twist  so  characteristic  of  the  Poland-China.  The  bone 
and  pastern  in  times  past  have  been  rather  deficient,  but  in  recent 
years  this  trouble  has  been  largely  overcome,  so  that  now  no  breed 
is  superior  to  the  Duroc-Jersey  in  this  respect.  Students  of  the 
breed  should  recognize  the  existence  of  two  types  —  the  medium 
and  the  big,  with  the  latter  meeting  with  far  more  favor  from  the 
worth-while  critics  and  breeders.  Another  feature  much  emphasized 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY  711 

among  Duroc  breeders  is  that  of  smoothness  and  quality.  At  the 
opening  of  the  present  century  the  Duroc-Jersey  pig  tended  to 
be  markedly  rough,  heavy  at  the  shoulders,  and  too  frequently 
marked  with  seams  or  creases  on  the  head,  shoulders,  and  sides. 
These  defects  have  been  largely  removed  through  selection  of 
breeding  stock  showing  smoothness  and  quality. 

The  color  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  pig  is  red,  although  the  shades 
vary  from  light  to  dark.  A  medium  cherry  red  is  the  most  popu- 
lar color,  but  there  is  no  discrimination  against  a  lighter  or  darker 
shade.  One  unpopular  color  sometimes  seen,  though  not  subject 
to  disqualification,  is  a  more  or  less  dark  shade  of  chestnut. 
Young  pigs  may  have  a  bright  color,  but  with  age  the  shade  may 
turn  ;  especially  is  this  so  with  a  chestnut  tint.  Among  the  official 
objections  on  color  are  "  very  dark  red  or  shady  brown  ;  very  light 
or  pale  red ;  black  spots  over  the  body ;  and  black  flecks  on  the 
belly  and  legs."  One  of  the  most  noted  boars  of  the  breed,  costing 
a  large  sum  of  money,  had  a  tendency  to  sire  pigs  that  possessed 
small  black  spots  in  the  skin  to  such  an  extent  as  seriously  to 
injure  his  standing  among  breeders  familiar  with  the  facts.  His 
value  was  so  depreciated  as  to  lead  his  purchaser  to  discontinue 
his  use. 

The  size  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  is  somewhat  variable  and,  as  has 
already  been  stated,  at  maturity  we  have  essentially  two  types  — 
the  medium  and  the  big  type,  the  latter  being  the  result  of  more 
recent  development  within  the  breed.  The  following  are  given  as 
official  weights  of  Duroc-Jersey  pigs  at  different  ages,  as  adopted 
by  both  American  and  National  Associations  :  Boars  two  years  old 
or  over  should  weigh  600  pounds  and  sows  of  the  same  age  and 
condition  500  pounds  ;  boars  eighteen  months  old  should  weigh 
475  pounds  and  sows  400  pounds ;  boars  twelve  months  old 
350  pounds  and  sows  300  pounds;  while  for  boars  and  pigs  six 
months  of  age  150  pounds  is  standard  weight.  Many  large  animals 
of  the  breed  are  found  to-day,  and  much  emphasis  is  placed  on 
half-ton  boars  in  the  breed  advertising,  a  weight  rarely  attained. 
Ohio  Chief  87273,  a  very  noted  show  boar  and  sire  in  his  day,  ac- 
cording to  S.  E.  Morton,  who  owned  him,  could  easily  have  been 
fitted  to  weigh  over  1000  pounds.  In  the  January  I,  1918,  Duroc 
Bulletin  advertising,  the  following  weights  are  credited  :  John's 


7I2 


SWINE 


Combination  65055  a1  (a  boar),  1010  pounds;  John's  Orion 
42853  a  (a  boar),  1040  pounds  ;  Sensation  Queen  196494  (a  sow, 
grand  champion  at  Iowa  and  Nebraska  State  fairs  in  1917), 
800  pounds;  Chief  Invincible  177825  n  (a  boar),  1000  pounds; 
Grand  Model  8th  163999  n  (a  boar),  1000  pounds;  Advance 
Defender  79097 a  (a  boar),  1000  pounds;  and  Critic  D  i685O3n 
(a  boar),  at  twelve  months  510  pounds  while  in  active  service. 
Referring  to  Duroc-Jersey  size,  Fred  Devore  makes  the  following 


FIG.  335.    Brookwater  Lass  D  218148,  bred  by  Professor  H.  W.  Mumford,  Ann 

Arbor,  Michigan ;  sold  for  $2200  to  Thomas  Johnson  of  Ohio  in  the  International 

Duroc-Jersey  sow  sale,  December  3,  1918.    From  photograph  by  E.  K.  Emslie 

comment:2  "  I  have  always  maintained  that  we  must  have  big 
type  Durocs,  and  that  means  9OO-pound  mature  boars,  7OO-pound 
mature  sows,  and  a  yearling  that  can  be  made  to  weigh  500  pounds 
if  you  want  him  to  do  it.  But  never  lose  sight  of  feeding  quality 
or  the  feet  and  legs  to  carry  him." 

The  Duroc-Jersey  as  a  grazer  seems  suited  to  such  pasture  as 
other  breeds  will  do  well  on,  and  for  this  reason  is  a  favorite  to-day 
with  many  farmers.  On  blue  grass,  clover,  and  alfalfa  it  thrives 

1  The  letter  "  a  "  after  the  number  signifies  registry  in  the  American  Duroc- 
Jersey  Association,  while  "  n  "  stands  for  the  National  Association. 

2  Duroc  Bulletin,  March  15,  1917. 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY 


713 


well.  The  breed  is  getting  a  good  foothold  in  the  South,  where  it 
seems  quite  adapted  to  cowpeas  and  velvet  beans  as  pasture  crops. 
The  Duroc- Jersey  as  a  feeder  holds  its  own  with  other  breeds. 
It  has  grown  greatly  in  popularity  for  the  feed  lot,  and  this  is 
clearly  shown  by  the  remarkable  increase  in  red  hogs  in  the  big 
stockyards  of  the  Middle  West.  Most  of  the  feeding  experiments 
in  which  breeds  are  compared  have  been  rather  to  the  disadvan- 
tage of  the  Duroc-Jersey,  but  in  spite  of  this  it  seems  to  be  the 


FIG.  336.    Sky  Pilot  121715  a, —  a  yearling  Duroc-Jersey  boar  of  the  big  type,  far- 
rowed in  1917  and  purchased  by  Thomas  Johnson  for  service  in  the  Oakland  herd. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 

opinion  among  investigators  that  there  is  essentially  no  material 
difference  in  the  lard-type  breeds  in  feeding  value.  At  the  Iowa 
Experiment  Station,  on  low-priced  feed,  the  cost  of  producing 
100  pounds  live  weight  with  the  Duroc-Jersey  is  given  at  the 
very  low  figure  of  $2.27.  In  the  experience  of  the  writer  with 
this  breed  during  the  past  ten  years  the  Duroc  makes  a  strictly 
first-class  showing. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  are  distinctly  high 
class.  Pigs  easily  mature  at  six  months  of  age  to  dress  out  175 
pounds.  At  the  Iowa  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  19  pigs  at 
an  average  of  two  hundred  and  fourteen  days  weighed  an  average 
of  197  pounds.  These  are  not  unusual  records  and  are  such  as 
may  be  secured  by  any  competent  feeder  with  fair  representatives 


714  SWINE 

of  the  breed.  In  the  experience  of  the  writer  in  which  the  Duroc- 
Jersey  has  been  under  observation  along  with  other  breeds  during 
the  past  twenty-five  years,  it  has  attained  a  greater  size  of  the 
same  age  than  any  other  breed  excepting  the  Large  Yorkshire. 
It  may  not  mature  or  finish  off  so  quickly  as  the  Poland-China 
or  Chester  White,  but  it  will  attain  a  most  satisfactory  weight 
for  the  age,  which  is  not  always  the  case  with  other  breeds. 

The  quality  of  Duroc- Jersey  pork  in  time  past  has  been  subject 
to  unfavorable  comment.  Twenty-five  years  ago  this  was  an  un- 
popular breed  with  the  packers,  their  reasons  being  that  there  was 
too  much  waste  in  killing  and  the  fat  was  too  soft  and  oily.  How- 
ever, the  breed  has  been  so  improved  that  this  criticism  no  longer 
prevails.  In  slaughter  tests,  however,  the  Duroc-Jersey  has  not 
attained  so  high  a  place  as  the  Berkshire,  Poland-China,  or  Chester 
White.  In  carcass  studies  in  breed  tests  at  the  Iowa  Station,  the 
Duroc-Jersey  yielded  less  lard  than  any  other  breed  except  the 
Chester  White.  There  was  a  total  of  20. 3  5  pounds  of  lard  and  more 
total  guts  than  any  other  breed  excepting  the  Berkshire,  though 
the  difference  was  not  great.  In  killing,  the  Yorkshire  led  with 
79.18  per  cent  dressed  meat,  while  the  Duroc-Jersey  was  fifth, 
with  77.05  per  cent.  In  the  carcass  contest  at  the  International 
Live-Stock  Exposition  there  have  been  but  few  entries  of  the 
Duroc-Jersey,  and  while  the  breed  has  won  no  championship,  it  has 
made  some  creditable  records.  In  1908  the  first-prize  heavy  carcass 
was  of  a  Duroc-Jersey,  weighing  466  pounds  cold,  that  dressed  out 
89.6  per  cent,  the  highest  dressing  of  the  prize-winning  carcasses. 
This  same  year  the  first-prize  light-weight  carcass  was  of  a  Duroc- 
Jersey  dressing  out  88.6  per  cent.  In  1910  second  place  was 
awarded  in  both  medium  and  light-weight  carcasses,  the  former 
dressing  out  83.2  per  cent  and  the  latter  81.8  per  cent. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Duroc-Jersey  pig  is  to-day  a  common 
sight  in  the  markets  of  the  great  corn-producing  section  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley.  Duroc-Jersey  boars  are  now  widely  used  in 
herds  where  grade  sows  are  the  rule,  and  pigs  of  such  breeding 
feed  well,  tend  to  good  size  while  growing,  and  mature  early. 
Crossed  on  any  of  the  lard  breeds,  satisfactory  results  may  be  ex- 
pected, although  the  Poland-China  and  Berkshire  nick  especially 
well  with  the  Duroc-Jersey.  The  use  of  the  Berkshire  male  on 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY 


715 


the  Duroc-Jersey  sows  is  commended  rather  than  otherwise,  for  it 
will  result  in  superior  meat,  and  the  litters  may  also  be  somewhat 
larger  from  this  union.  In  1916  the  Ohio  State  University  showed 
some  barrows  of  this  cross  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposi- 
tion, which  not  only  won  first  and  second  in  class  on  foot  but  also 
first  and  second  in  the  carcass  contest,  having  carcasses  of  unusual 
excellence  in  smoothness,  quality,  condition  of  flesh,  fat,  and  color. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  to  a  range  of  conditions 
is  above  the  average.  It  has  established  itself  strongly  in  the 
favor  of  the  feeder  of  the  corn  belt,  where  the  climatic  and  food 
conditions  are  espe- 
cially favorable  to 
swine  husbandry.  In 
the  warm  climate  of 
the  southern  United 
States  the  breed  has 
rapidly  grown  in  favor, 
not  seeming  to  be 
affected  by  the  dry, 
warm  summers,  espe- 
cially as  regards  skin 
troubles.  In  Canada 
the  Duroc-Jersey  has 
but  a  small  foothold, 
due  to  the  popularity 
of  the  bacon  hog. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  pig  is  of  the  first  class. 
Twenty  years  ago  Colonel  Curtis  wrote  that  young  sows  had  from 
7  to  10  pigs  and  old  sows  from  10  to  18,  while  12  and  14  strong 
pigs  at  one  litter  were  not  at  all  uncommon.  Rommel,  in  a  report 
on  Duroc-Jersey  fecundity,  published  in  1906,  based  on  herdbook 
figures,  shows  that  21,652  litters,  comprising  200,574  pigs,  aver- 
aged 9.26  pigs  per  litter.  This  is  a  most  excellent  record  and  re- 
flects great  credit  on  the  prolificacy  of  this  breed.  There  are  many 
individual  cases  of  sows  producing  large  litters,  of  which  the  two 
following  are  examples  :  Sunny  Side  Fancy  46726  in  1910  far- 
rowed 19  pigs,  17  of  which  she  cared  for.  A  writer  in  the  Ohio 
Farmer,  in  1910,  reported  on  a  pure-bred  Duroc-Jersey  sow  of  his 


FIG.  337.    A  Duroc-Jersey  yearling  sow  of  much  ex- 
cellence bred  by  Thomas  Johnson,  Columbus,  Ohio. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 


;i6  SWINE 

farrowing  1 2  pigs  in  her  first  litter,  1 4  in  her  second,  and  2 1  in  her 
third,  the  last  .being  a  remarkable  number  for  a  sow  of  any  breed. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  may  be  regarded  as  about 
average.  Males  show  a  fair  amount  of  prepotency  when  mated  to 
grade  sows,  but  the  breed  cannot  be  regarded  the  equal  of  either 
the  Large  Yorkshire  or  Berkshire  in  this  respect.  In  the  crossing 
of  the  Duroc-Jersey  with  the  Poland-China  or  Chester  White,  one 
breed  will  not  have  any  special  advantage  over  the  other,  although 
some  individuals  will  naturally  be  more  prepotent  than  others. 

Families  of  Duroc-Jersey  pigs  that  have  attained  special  distinc- 
tion are  comparatively  modern.  These  trace  from  both  boars  and 
sows  of  fame.  A  few  of  the  best-known  and  most  popular  families 
are  the  Colonel,  descending  from  Colonel  M  3285  a,  farrowed  in 
1891  ;  the  Ohio  Chief,  descended  from  Ohio  Chief  8727  a,  far- 
rowed in  1900  ;  the  Orion,  descended  from  Orion  4901  a,  farrowed 
in  1895  ;  the  Golden  Model,  descendedfrom  Golden  Model  53675  n, 
farrowed  in  1906;  the  Golden  Rule,  descended  from  Golden 
Rule  14101  a,  farrowed  in  1904  ;  the  Crimson  Wonder,  descended 
from  Crimson  Wonder  26355  n>  farrowed  in  1903  ;  the  Duchess, 
descended  from  Duchess  II  5932  a,  farrowed  in  1887;  and  the 
Lucy  Wonder,  descended  from  Lucy  Wonder  6334  a,  farrowed  in 
1889.  These  family  names,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  two, 
are  credited  to  males  of  which  those  of  most  prepotency  are  given 
first  recognition  in  this  list.  In  fact  the  Colonel  and  Orion  families 
have  attained  a  great  degree  of  popularity  among  Duroc-Jersey 
breeders.  Breeders  thus  far,  however,  have  not  lost  their  balance 
in  following  lines  of  breeding,  so  that  prominent  families  of  the 
breed  really  stand  for  the  greatest  vigor  and  productive  value. 

Duroc-Jersey  pigs  of  distinction  first  became  prominent  with 
the  appearance  of  the  breed  at  the  important  exhibitions,  notably 
in  the  early  eighties.  Among  the  prominent  show  and  breeding 
boars  between  1880  and  1885  were  Major  17,  Climax  21,  Phil  D 
167,  Richard  III  181,  John  Jordan  297,  and  King  Stoner  1651. 
Of  the  sows  of  that  period  the  following  may  be  mentioned  : 
Holmes  Ruby  70,  Lulu  76,  Bess  III  82,  Mona  II  90,  Mojeska  96, 
Bessie  100,  Valleria  200,  Lou  Edna  226,  and  Red  Stumpy  926. 
Following  these  sires  and  dams  may  be  mentioned  Hoosier  King 
3205  a,  Colonel  M  3285  a,  Protection  46973,  Orion  4901  a, 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY 


717 


Walts  Colonel  5795  a,  Ohio  Chief  8727  a,  Top-Notcher  88033, 
and  King  of  Kings  10919.  Among  the  many  more  recent  Duroc- 
Jerseys  celebrated  as  sires  are  Orion  Chief  13333  a,  Golden  Rule 
14101  a,  Cherry  Chief  2 1333  a,  Tippy  Colonel  225673,  Good-E- 
Nuff  22437  a,  Proud  Advance  23549  n,  Defender  25893  a,  Fancy 
Colonel  274273,  Pals  Colonel  291673,  The  Professor  354753, 
Joe  Orion  II  35527  3,  Crimson  Wonder  Again  40785  n,  3nd  Orion 
Cherry  King  42475  a.  A  few  of  the  fsmous  dams  are  Cherry  Vale 
Queen  18468  a,  Duchess  4Oth  18958  3,  Lucy  D  2d  18106  n,  Love 
3  5  0603,  Cherry  Queen 
T  100466,  3nd  H.A's 
Queen  143382  n. 

Prices  paid  for 
Duroc-Jersey  pigs  have 
risen  to  high  figures  in 
recent  years.  Some 
of  the  notable  sales  of 
individual  boars  are  as 
follows  :  in  1906  S.  E. 
Morton  &  Company 
of  Ohio  sold  to  R.  J. 
Hardingand  O.  E.  Os- 
born  of  Iowa  the  fa- 
mous boar  Ohio  fhiW  FlG'  338'  A  Duroc-Jersey  Snt  of  superior  conforma- 
tion and  quality,  bred  by  Sears  &  Nichols  of  Ohio. 
87273  for  $2OOO.  From  photograph  by  the  author 

Later  they  sold  3  third 

interest  in  him  to  J.  M.  Morrison  of  Nebraska  for  the  same  sum. 
At  3  sale  held  during  the  winter  of  1907-1908  the  sow  Savannah 
Belle,  with  3  litter  sired  by  Ohio  Chief,  sold  for  $3300.  On 
February  6,  1907,  E.  A.  Baxter  sold  to  McNeil  Brothers,  at  public 
auction,  the  hog  Buddy  K  IV  20861  a  for  $5025,  the  highest  price 
at  public  sale  up  to  1919  for  a  Duroc-Jersey  boar;  in  1908  Ira 
Jackson  sold  Orion  Chief  13333  a  to  Thomss  Johnson  for  $3500; 
in  1911  Superbs  314033  wss  sold  by  H.  E.  Browning  to  East 
Brothers  and  Ewing  for  $1500;  in  1915  Royal  King  56047  a  W3S 
sold  by  Ira  Jackson  to  Johnson  Brothers  for  $2650 ;  in  191 5  Hugh 
Stewart  sold  Colonel  S  Jr.  43869  a  to  Thomss  Johnson  for  $2500  ; 
and  in  1918  Charles  F.  Sprague  sold  Joe  Orion  II  35527  a, 


;i8  SWINE 

at  eight  years  of  age,  to  Enoch  Farms  for  $5000.  The  climax  on 
high  prices  with  the  Duroc-Jersey  took  place  in  August,  1919, 
when  Ira  Jackson  of  Ohio  sold  at  private  sale  to  H.  L.  White, 
Columbia,  Mississippi,  the  boar  Jackson's  Orion  King  134009 
for  $31,000,  the  top  price  for  a  Duroc-Jersey.  There  have  been 
many  public  sales  in  which  the  average  price  paid  was  very  high. 
In  November,  1911,  at  the  sale  of  H.  E.  Browning  of  Illinois, 
35  head  sold  for  an  average  price  of  $303.65.  At  a  sale  held 
at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  in  December,  1918, 
Professor  H.  W.  Mumford,  owner  of  Brookwater  Farm  herd  of 
Michigan,  sold  55  head  for  an  average  of  $428,  the  top  price  for 
a  sow  being  $2225.  In  February,  1919,  at  the  sale  of  Ira  Jackson 
of  Ohio,  54  sows  averaged  $1018,  and  I  boar,  Jack's  Top  King 
123721  a,  by  Orion  Cherry  King,  sold  to  J.  B.  Goodbar,  Forest 
Hill,  Tennessee,  for  $10,500.  The  highest-priced  sow  sold  for 
$3500  and  the  lowest  for  $500. 

The  distribution  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  is  now  very  widespread. 
It  has  attained  its  greatest  popularity  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  and  Minnesota,  although  it  is  generally  getting  a 
foothold  in  the  corn  belt.  The  breed  is  also  rapidly  growing  in  favor 
in  the  South,  especially  in  Kentucky,  Mississippi,  South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Virginia.  Duroc-Jerseys  are  not  so  well  known  on 
the  Pacific  coast  as  the  Berkshire,  although  there  are  excellent 
herds  in  this  region.  The  breed  has  a  slight  representation  in 
Canada,  but  does  not  gain  much  in  favor,  for,  as  has  been  said, 
Canadians  prefer  a  bacon-type  hog. 

Organizations  to  promote  Duroc-Jersey  pigs  date  back  to  1883, 
when  the  American  Duroc-Jersey  Swine  Breeders'  Association 
was  established,  the  first  annual  meeting  being  held  at  Chicago, 
November  15-16,  1883,  at  which  time  Colonel  F.  D.  Curtis  of 
New  York  was  elected  president  and  C.  H.  Holmes  of  Iowa, 
secretary.  In  1885  this  association  published  its  first  herd  record, 
since  which  time,  to  1920,  fifty  volumes  have  been  issued,  includ- 
ing the  registration  of  about  68,000  boars  and  150,000  sows. 
On  November  20,  1891,  the  National  Duroc-Jersey  Record  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  at  Geneseo,  Illinois,  with  J.  M.  Stonebraker 
of  Illinois  as  president  and  G.  W.  Philippe  of  Illinois  as  secretary- 
treasurer.  This  association  published  Volume  I  of  its  herd  record 


THE  DUROC-JERSEY  719 

in  1893,  since  which  time  a  total  of  sixty-two  volumes  have 
been  issued  to  1919,  including  the  registration  of  over  500,000 
boars  and  sows.  The  letter  "  a  "  after  the  registration  number  of  a 
Duroc-Jersey  pig  indicates  its  registration  in  the  American  Associ- 
ation and  an  "  n,"  in  the  National  Association.  Each  of  these  organi- 
zations has  been  very  prosperous.  In  addition  to  these  associations 
for  promoting  the  purity  of  the  breed  and  the  registration  of 
animals,  there  have  been  organized  a  number  of  state  and  local 
associations  for  the  same  purpose.  In  general,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  organized  interests  in  behalf  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  are  strong 
and  have  accomplished  much  important  publicity  and  breed-welfare 
work.  The  Duroc  Bulletin,  a  semimonthly  in  behalf  of  the  breed, 
published  in  Chicago,  and  the  Duroc  Digest,  published  in  Minne- 
apolis, are  valuable  mediums  for  circulation  among  the  breeders, 
as  they  contain  a  large  amount  of  Duroc-Jersey  literature  and 
advertising  matter  of  importance. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII 

THE  POLAND-CHINA 

The  native  home  of  the  Poland-China  pig  is  in  Butler  and  Warren 
Counties  in  southwestern  Ohio.  This  is  an  undulating  region 
with  a  prevailing  clay-loam  soil,  excepting  in  the  river  bottoms. 
The  Great  Miami  flows  through  Butler  County,  the  valley  of 
which  is  twelve  miles  wide  and  very  fertile.  The  Little  Miami 
River  drains  the  greater  part  of  Warren  County.  Corn,  wheat, 
oats,  grass,  and  clover  are  grown  extensively  in  these  two  coun- 
ties, which  cover  about  eight  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles. 
Hamilton  County,  Ohio,  and  Union  and  Wayne  Counties  in 
Indiana  were  also  associated  with  early  Poland-China  develop- 
ment. All  these  five  counties  are  grouped  together.  The  climate 
is  fairly  temperate  both  in  summer  and  winter,  typical  of  the 
Central  West  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  origin  of  the  Poland-China  pig  is  not  clearly  understood. 
In  the  past  considerable  discussion  has  taken  place  concerning 
the  accuracy  of  statement  of  various  persons  regarding  the  blood 
used  in  the  early  days  of  the  formation  of  the  breed.  Radical 
difference  of  opinion  has  existed  on  this  point.  In  important 
essentials  the  history  of  the  establishment  of  the  breed  is  very 
well  understood. 

The  foundation  stock  of  the  Poland-China  begins  with  the 
breeds  or  types  of  swine  found  in  the  Miami  valley  early  in  the 
nineteenth  century.  The  settlers  of  this  region  had  come  in  from 
Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  and  various  parts  of 
Ohio,  and  had  brought  with  them  hogs  of  considerable  variety. 
Undoubtedly  the  stock  of  the  settlers  became  crossed,  but  from 
this  mingling  of  blood  was  developed  a  large,  coarse,  very  hardy, 
prolific,  slow-maturing  pig.  The  claim  has  been  made  that  previous 
to  1816  two  breeds  —  the  Russian  (or  Russia)  and  the  Byfield  — 
were  known  in  the  Miami  valley.  Dawson  states1  that  in  1830 

1  The  Hog  Book,  p.  34.    Chicago,  1911. 
720 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  721 

the  predominating  breeds  in  the  Miami  valley  were,  in  the  order 
named :  Bedfordshire,  China,  Berkshire,  Byfield,  Big  Spotted 
China,  Irish  Grazier,  and  Russian.  However,  it  is  well  established 
that  the  Berkshire  was  not  introduced  into  that  section  until  1835. 
The  Bedford,  or  Bedfordshire,  pig  was  also  known  under  other 
names,  especially  Parkinson  and  Woburn.  One  man  is  credited 
with  the  statement 1  that  he  "  has  seen  and  owned  no  less  than 
five  distinct  varieties  called  Bedfords."  These  pigs  were  of  various 


FIG.  339.    Long  Chief  90243,  a  big-type  Poland-China  boar  said  to  have  weighed 

1000  pounds  at  three  years  of  age.    Owned  by  the  Rockfield  Breeding  Association, 

Rockfield,  Indiana.    From  photograph  by  J.  C.  Allen 

colors,  perhaps  more  especially  sandy  or  spotted,  had  large  droop- 
ing ears,  narrow  backs,  were  of  large  size,  and  matured  at  three 
to  four  years  of  age.  The  evidence  is  strong  that  this  so-called 
breed  was  extensively  used  in  the  settled  portion  of  the  United 
States  prior  to  1830.  Bedfords  were  noted  as  good  travelers. 

The  Russian  pig  is  described  as  generally  white,  with  long, 
coarse  hair,  a  long  and  coarse  head,  with  a  narrower  ear  than 
possessed  by  the  common  pigs  of  the  region.  The  breed  was  of 
superior  length  and  height,  the  bone  strong  and  fine,  the  pigs 

1  S.  M.  Shepard,  The  Hog  in  America  (1896),  p.  224. 


722  SWINE 

stood  well  on  their  feet,  were  quiet  of  temperament,  and  were 
regarded  with  favor.  These  pigs  sometimes  reached  large  size. 

The  Byfield  pig  was  of  two  types,  both  being  white  in  color.  One 
was  very  large,  with  long,  flat  sides  and  heavy,  lopped  ears ;  the  other 
was  more  refined,  with  small  ears  pointing  noseward,  with  broad 
back,  deep  chest,  large  jowl,  short  nose,  dish  face,  and  thin  hair. 

Previous  to  1816  the  Russian  and  Byfield  breeds  were  very 
generally  bred,  and  their  blood  mingled  with  the  common  pigs 
of  the  community. 

The  Big  China  breed  of  pigs  was  introduced  into  the  Miami 
valley  in  1816,  one  boar  and  three  sows  having  been  brought 
from  Philadelphia  by  John  Wallace,  a  trustee  of  the  Shakers' 
Society  of  Union  Village,  Warren  County,  whose  members  had 
much  to  do  with  the  development  of  the  Poland-China  breed. 
The  boar  and  two  sows  were  white,  while  one  sow  had  some 
sandy  spots  in  which  were  small  black  spots.  This  was  a  medium- 
sized  breed  of  unknown  ancestry,  of  fine  form,  small  head  and 
ears,  short  legs  and  fine  bone,  and  superior  feeding  qualities. 
Shepard  thinks  this  may  have  been  the  Grass  breed  known  in 
Maryland,  Virginia,  and  Pennsylvania  as  the  Bedford  or  Parkinson 
hog.  The  spotted  China  referred  to  by  Dawson  is  said  to  have 
been  introduced  into  Union  County,  Indiana,  in  1836  and  was 
probably  a  variety  of  the  China  breed.  Used  on  the  Russian  and 
Byfield  crosses  the  Big  China  produced  very  superior  feeders 
and  much  improved  the  character  of  Miami  valley  pigs,  resulting 
in  what  became  widely  and  favorably  known  in  the  middle  of 
the. last  century  as  the  Warren  County  hog.  Between  1816  and 
1835  the  swine  industry  of  southwestern  Ohio  had  a  great 
impetus,  due  to  the  beneficial  effects  of  this  cross. 

The  Berkshire  as  an  element  in  Poland-China  evolution  first 
attracted  attention  in  1835,  when  Munson  Beach  of  Lebanon, 
Warren  County,  introduced  some  pigs  of  this  breed  from  New 
York  State.  These  Berkshires  had  erect  ears,  were  stylish  in 
appearance,  and  at  once  met  with  much  favor.  Others  soon 
introduced  Berkshires,  and  up  to  1842  they  were  extensively 
used  on  the  Miami  valley  pigs'.  The  Berkshire  gave  more  sym- 
metry, greater  activity,  more  quality,  and  the  black  color  to  the 
Warren  County  hog. 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  723 

The  Irish  Grazier  as  a  factor  in  Poland-China  history  was 

introduced  into  Warren  County  by  William  Neff  of  Cincinnati, 
who  imported  from  Ireland  in  the  fall  of  1839.  This  was  a 
white,  thinly-haired  hog,  varying  somewhat  in  size  and  type.  The 
Neff  stock  had  an  erect  ear,  a  long  body  with  superior  back, 
excellent  legs,  and  very  fine  hams.  For  several  years  Irish  Grazier 
blood  was  mingled  with  the  Miami  valley  mixture,  but  the  pure- 
bred stock  soon  became  extinct ;  not,  however,  until  it  had  assisted 
in  the  improvement  of  the  Warren  County  hog.  Mr.  Cephas 
Holloway,  who  from  1813  for  very  many  years  lived  in  the 
Shaker  community  at  Union  Village,  stated  that  "  the  two  breeds 
—  the  Berkshires  and  Irish  Graziers  —  were  extensively  used  in 
making  crosses  by  our  best  breeders  of  swine  in  Warren,  Butler, 
Hamilton,  Clinton,  and  Montgomery  counties."  In  1871  Mr.Tytus, 
an  extensive  pork  packer  from  1836  to  1860,  said  that  the  Warren 
County  breed  was  greatly  improved  by  crossing  with  the  Berkshire 
and  Irish  Grazier.  From  1845,  at  least,  up  to  the  present  time 
it  is  claimed  that  no  foreign  blood  has  been  used  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Warren  County  pig,  or  what  later  became  known  as 
the  Poland-China. 

The  adoption  of  the  name  "  Poland-China  "  has  an  important 
history.  The  name  "  Poland  "  or  "  Poland  and  China  "  had  been 
given  to  herds  of  Miami  valley  pigs  by  certain  breeders  as  early 
as  along  in  the  sixties.  Mr.  Ayers  McCreary  and  Mr.  D.  M. 
Magie  claimed  that  their  pigs  were  a  combination  of  Poland  and 
Big  China  blood.  Mr.  A.  C.  Moore  of  Illinois,  who  formerly 
lived  in  Ohio,  also  termed  his  pigs  Poland  and  Chinas.  These 
men  in  particular,  and  some  others,  claimed  that  a  Poland  breed 
of  pigs  had  been  used,  presumably  introduced  to  America  by 
Polish  settlers.  Much  controversy  developed  over  the  accuracy 
of  the  claim  that  such  a  breed  as  Poland  had  ever  been  used 
in  Warren  County.  More  or  less  investigation  followed,  and  no 
satisfactory  evidence  seemed  to  support  the  claim.  Evidence  was 
secured,  however,  to  show  that  in  one  neighborhood  an  individual 
used  the  word  "  Poland  "  "  to  designate  the  progeny  of  a  particular 
animal  that  had  been  obtained  from  Asher  Asher,  who  was  a 
Polander  by  birth  and  who  many  years  ago  resided  for  a  time  in 
Butler  County,  some  five  or  six  miles  south  of  Monroe."  After 


724 


SWINE 


an  investigation  of  the  subject  of  the  origin  of  the  breed,  a 
committee  reported  to  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention 
at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  in  November,  1872,  and  the  report  was 
accepted.  In  this  no  recognition  was  given  to  the  influence  of 
Poland  blood,  but  the  committee  recommended  that  "  in  view  of 
the  difficulties  in  making  a  change  in  the  name  of  any  breed,  that 
the  said  name  of  '  Poland-China '  be  recognized  as  the  accepted 
name  of  said  breed,  and  the  report  of  the  committee  was  approved." 

The  early  improvers 
of  the  Poland-China 
pig  in  the  days  of  its 
formation  as  a  breed 
were  represented  by 
numerous  intelligent 
farmers  and  stockmen, 
more  particularly  in 
the  Miami  valley.  The 
Shakers  of  Union  Vil- 
lage in  Warren  County 
were  most  prominent 
in  this  work,  and  the 
herds  of  various  breed- 
ers who  later  obtained 
distinction  traced  back 
to  Shaker  breeding. 
Mr.  John  Harkrader  of 

Springboro,  Warren  County,  who  has  been  classed  as  one  of  the 
originators  of  the  breed,  developed  a  herd  generally  recognized 
as  being  of  great  merit,  from  which  descended  much  prepotent 
blood.  Most  prominent  among  the  promoters  of  the  breed  about 
1865-1870  were  D.  M.  Magie  of  Oxford,  Butler  County,  Ohio, 
who  claims  to  have  originated  the  Poland-China ;  Alexander 
Young  and  James  Duffield  of  Somerville  and  John  Irvin  of 
Darrtown,  all  of  Butler  County,  Ohio ;  and  A.  C.  Moore  of 
Canton,  Illinois.  Magie  and  Moore  extensively  advertised  the 
breed  and  did  much  to  bring  it  before  the  public.  Other  impor- 
tant constructive  breeders  in  Ohio  established  herds  as  follows : 
W.  C.  Hankinson,  Blue  Ball,  1857  or  1858  ;  J.  Douthett,  Xenia, 


FIG.  340.  A  prize-winning  Poland-China  boar  of  the 

Medium  type,  owned  by  L.  C.  McLaughlin,  Pleasant- 

ville,  Ohio.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  725 

Greene  County,  1863  ;  Noah  Coler  &  Son,  Liberty,  1868  ;  James 
Hankinson,  Carlisle  Station,  1870;  L.  N.  Bonham,  Oxford, 
1871  ;  and  Edward  and  J.  M.  Klever,  Bloomingburg,  1873. 

Characteristics  of  the  Poland-China  pig.  The  head  is  of  medium 
length  and  breadth  in  good  specimens,  with  a  rather  full  jowl. 
The  face  is  classed  as  straight,  the  nose  and  space  from  below 
the  eyes  to  nostrils  being  free  of  dishing.  The  cheeks  tend  to 
be  rounding  and  full  and  frequently  are  somewhat  seamed.  The 
ears  should  be  fine  and  break  over  at  the  top  third  into  a  neat  droop  ; 
thick,  heavily  attached  ears  are  objectionable.  The  neck  of  the 
Poland-China  tends  to  be  short  and  thick,  the  shoulders  a  bit  promi- 
nent but  well  covered,  the  back  strongly  supported  with  a  gradual 
yet  strong  arch  the  entire  length,  the  loins  and  ribs  being  thickly 
covered,  wide,  and  strikingly  arched  in  well-fattened  specimens. 
The  sides  have  but  a  moderate  length,  with  an  excellent  depth. 
The  mmp  is  of  medium  length  but  is  frequently  somewhat  low, 
so  that  the  entire  upper  line  of  the  pig  from  ear  to  tail  has  a 
more  curved  outline  than  most  breeds.  The  hind  quarter  is 
characterized  by  great  thickness  of  flesh,  the  hams  being  thick 
for  the  entire  length  from  top  to  bottom,  with  a  full,  deep  twist 
between.  The  legs  of  the  Poland-China  are  usually  short  and 
show  refinement,  and  the  pasterns  tend  to  slope  too  much.  In  recent 
years  the  subject  of  type  has  caused  much  discussion  among  the 
breeders.  Many  have  recognized  the  fact  that  there  was  too 
much  refinement,  with  a  lack  of  bone  and  substance.  As  a 
result  of  this  agitation,  there  has  developed  a  larger,  heavier- 
boned,  coarser,  more  upstanding  type,  as  compared  with  the 
smaller,  lower-set,  more  refined  sort  —  the  former  being  known  as 
the  "big  type"  and  the  latter  as  the  "medium  type."  Between 
these  two  types  one  finds  a  wide  range  of  size  and  breed  character, 
greater  perhaps  than  in  any  other  breed.  The  most  characteristic 
features  of  the  Poland-China  are  the  color,  straight  nose  and 
face,  droopy  ear,  very  broad  and  arched  back,  superior  hams, 
and  short  legs. 

The  color  of  the  Poland-China  pig  has  undergone  something 
of  an  evolution.  Originally  the  use  of  white  pigs  formed  a  lead- 
ing feature  in  the  development  of  the  breed,  but  the  advent  of 
Berkshire  blood  caused  a  change  to  a  darker  type.  Thirty  years 


726  SWINE 

ago  large  white  or  sandy  markings  were  common  on  the  body. 
Twenty-five  years  ago  many  "spotted"  pigs  were  registered  in 
the  "  Ohio  Poland-China  Record,"  although  at  this  time  black 
pigs  with  white  points  were  receiving  special  attention.  The  older 
breeders  were  attached  to  the  lighter  colors,  but  the  solid-black 
color  with  white  feet,  tail,  and  face  met  with  show-ring  favor  and 
attained  a  popularity  which  has  held  up  to  date,  although  white 
elsewhere  argues  no  impurity  of  blood.  This  uniform  color  mark- 
ing is  said  to  be  largely  due  to  the  influence  of  the  boar  Tom 
Corwin  2d  2037. 

The  size  of  the  Poland-China  classes  it  among  the  large  or 
middle-weight  breeds,  according  to  type.  In  1875,  in  the  early 
days  of  the  breed,  very  large  weights  were  attained,  but  the  mod- 
ern demand  for  a  more  refined  and  smaller  market  type  turned 
the  tide  toward  a  pig  of  less  scale  and  earlier  maturity.  As  already 
noted,  however,  a  reaction  has  become  well  established,  so  that 
there  is  a  large  constituency  of  breeders  of  the  big-type  Poland- 
China.  Pigs  of  the  medium  type,  fed  for  market,  will  readily 
attain  200  pounds  at  six  months,  while  250  pounds  is  not  uncom- 
mon with  good  feeders.  Boars  at  one  year  old  should  weigh  about 
300  pounds  and  sows  250  to  275  pounds.  At  full  maturity  boars 
should  weigh  about  500  pounds  and  sows  400  pounds  in  breeding 
form.  The  big-type  pig  shows  greater  scale  in  every  way,  is 
coarser  in  bone  and  hair,  and  at  maturity  is  of  large  size  and 
heavy  weight.  Boars  at  one  year  old  may  weigh  fully  400  pounds 
and  at  maturity  about  800  pounds  or  more  when  in  good  condi- 
tion. A  leaflet  of  the  Standard  Poland-China  Association  states 
that  from  the  point  of  scale  the  Poland-China  excels  all  other 
breeds.  "It  is  a  common  occurrence  to  see  boars  at  maturity 
weigh  900  to  1 1 20  pounds  and  sows  550  to  850  pounds,  and 
several  still  larger."  It  is  hardly  a  conservative  statement,  how- 
ever, to  state  that  such  weights  are  "  common."  They  are  rather 
remarkably  exceptional.  Among  well-known  boars  of  the  medium 
type,  Chief  I  Know  11992  and  Model  Boy  13959  eacn  weighed 
650  pounds  and  Lookout  32451  some  700  pounds  in  breeding 
condition.  The  big  type  calls  for  much  heavier  figures,  and  the 
following  weights  are  reported  as  applied  to  this  kind :  Grand 
Master  67666  weighed  1 1 20  pounds  on  the  Iowa  State  Fair  grounds 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  727 

in  1914,  Long  Jumbo  62719  weighed  1106  pounds,  Columbus 
64898  and  The  Big  Orphan  63348  (full  brother)  each  weighed 
1050  pounds.  Queen  of  Wonders  169001,  a  senior  yearling  sow, 
weighed  780  pounds  in  1914,  and  Big  Nellie  161511  weighed 
850  pounds,  the  girth  of  her  shin  bone  being  10  inches.  Shelton 
&  Son,  in  their  August  13,  1919,  catalogue,  give  the  weight  of 
Long  Big  Bone  2d  256457  as  1200  pounds,  height  44  inches, 
length  (from  a  point  between  the  eyes  to  tail  head)  83  inches, 
heart  girth  76  inches,  hind-flank  girth  86  inches,  and  circum- 
ference of  shank  bone,  ni  inches.  Long  Big  Bone,  sire  of  Long 
Big  Bone  2d,  is  said  to  have  weighed  1150  pounds  at  thirty-one 
months  of  age.  Finally,  in  reference  to  size,  Lyman  Peck  writes  : 1 

Quite  a  number  of  boars  are  in  service  to-day  that  weigh  over  i  ooo  pounds, 
and  sows  have  attained  record  weight  up  to  960  pounds.  At  the  last  Nebraska 
State  Fair  the  grand  championship  was  won  by  a  boar  that  in  his  three-year 
form  carried  his  900  pounds  with  ease  on  almost  perfect  feet  and  pasterns. 
He  showed  a  clean  iol-inch  bone  and  the  phenomenal  heart  girth  of  80  inches. 
Now  it  did  not  take  three  years  to  make  this  hog.  He  was  possessed  of  early 
maturity  enough  to  win  first  as  a  six-months  pig  at  the  same  fair,  weighing 
255  pounds  at  that  time. 

The  Poland-China  as  a  grazer  is  well  suited  to  blue-grass  and 
clover  pastures,  where  it  has  long  been  a  common  figure  in  the 
Middle  West.  The  general  custom  of  the  Western  farmer  is  to 
pasture  his  pigs  in  the  summer  season,  and  this  breed  long  ago 
showed  its  suitability  for  this  purpose,  keeping  easily  with  little  grain. 

The  Poland-China  as  a  feeder  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of 
American  breeds,  although  its  popularity  in  recent  years  has  not 
been  so  great  as  formerly.  Any  loss  of  popularity  in  this  respect 
has  been  largely  due  to  the  inability  of  the  more  refined  pig  of 
the  breed  to  finish  off  within  ordinary  limits,  such  as  eight  months, 
with  sufficient  size  to  satisfy  the  feeder.  In  the  opinion  of  the 
author  the  big-type  Poland-China,  with  sufficient  quality,  will 
remedy  this  breed  criticism.  Early  maturity  is  a  most  valuable 
factor,  but  it  must  be  associated  with  profitable  weight,  else  it  is 
a  detriment  rather  than  an  advantage.  In  extensive  feeding  ex- 
periments the  Poland-China  makes  a  satisfactory  showing.  The 
following  records  of  Poland-Chinas  in  feeding  trials  indicate  the 

1  Breeders'  Gazette^  January  n,  1911. 


728  SWINE 

capacity  of  individuals  of  the  breed  to  produce  gains  in  weight. 
In  five  feeding  trials  at  the  Ontario  Agricultural  College  the 
Poland-China  consumed  in  the  several  tests  the  following  amounts 
of  "meal"  to  make  100  pounds  of  gain  in  live  weight;  namely, 
417,  333,  383>  35°,  and  474-  In  three  trials  at  the  Iowa  Station, 
to  produce  100  pounds  of  gain,  the  Poland-China  consumed  the 
following  amounts  of  dry  matter  ;  namely,  424,  392,  and  441.  In 
twenty-two  tests  involving  96  pigs  at  eight  experiment  stations 
and  agricultural  colleges,  as  reported  by  Rommel,  it  required 
357  pounds  of  feed  for  100  pounds  of  gain  in  live  weight.  In 
breed  comparisons,  results  show  considerable  variation,  in  which 
the  Poland-China  ranged  from  the  poorest  to  the  best. 

The  early-maturing  qualities  of  the  Poland-China  are  of  the 
first  class,  and  the  breed  has  been  noted  in  this  respect  for  many 
years.  No  other  breed,  unless  the  Chester  White,  will  finish  off 
fat  so  early  as  this,  and  this  quality  is  more  especially  applied  to 
the  medium  type  of  the  breed,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made.  In  the  change  in  the  market  from  a  large,  slow-maturing, 
older  type  of  fat  hog  to  a  smaller,  less  mature,  younger  sort,  the 
Poland-China  has  been  an  important  factor.  Until  comparatively 
recently,  on  the  great  Chicago  hog  market  the  blood  of  this  breed 
has  played  a  most  prominent  part,  due  largely  to  the  ability  of 
feeders  to  finish  off  early. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Poland-China  to  environment  is  at  least 
medium.  It  is  primarily  a  breed  for  the  corn  belt,  where  it  is 
found  in  its  greatest  perfection  and  where  it  thrives  best.  It  has 
never  had  much  of  a  hold  in  the  more  rough  or  hilly  regions  East 
or  West  nor  in  the  cooler  sections  of  the  North.  However,  with 
an  abundance  of  food,  it  adjusts  itself  to  a  range  of  conditions 
comparable  with  other  breeds.  Like  other  lard  breeds  Poland- 
Chinas  tend  to  be  phlegmatic  in  winter,  consequently  a  region 
relatively  free  from  snow  is  better  suited  to  them. 

The  quality  of  Poland-China  meat  has  been  subject  to  criticism 
from  certain  sources.  The  export  trade  has  especially  called  for 
a  lean  type  of  bacon,  such  as  is  only  produced  by  a  lean  type  of 
pig  or  one  that  is  fed  a  nitrogenous  ration.  The  Poland-China 
produces  rather  more  external  fat  than  do  most  other  breeds. 
This  is  readily  seen  in  comparing  the  carcasses  of  pigs  of  this 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  729 

with  those  of  other  breeds.  There  is  more  lard,  more  mechanically 
separable  fat,  and  a  greater  thickness  of  surface  fat.  In  a  carcass 
study  of  the  Poland-China  and  Berkshire  made  by  the  writer  this 
was  clearly  shown.  This  has  also  been  demonstrated  at  the  Wis- 
consin Station,  where  the  loin  fat  of  the  Poland-China  was  1.75 
inches  thick,  the  back  2.5  inches,  and.  the  shoulder  2.75  inches, 
exceeding  in  thickness  both  Berkshire  and  Yorkshire.  The 
American  trade,  however,  does  not  object  to  this  fat,  nor  is  the 
price  paid  by  the  packer  any  less.  So  far  as  the  grain  and  quality 
of  Poland-China  meat  is  concerned,  when  not  too  fat  it  compares 
very  favorably  with  the  Chester  White  and  Duroc-Jersey.  Fed  on 
a  nitrogenous  ration  the  Poland-China  produces  an  acceptable 
carcass  for  the  American  market. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Poland-China  is  regarded  with  favor, 
both  by  feeders  and  the  man  on  the  market.  Pure-bred  boars  bred 
to  common  sows  result  in  a  class  of  pigs-  that  fatten  rapidly  and 
mature  early.  In  fact  many  think  that  the  females  of  this  cross 
show  more  vigor  and  greater  breeding  power  than  do  the  pure- 
breds.  Poland-China  boars  crossed  with  Duroc-Jersey,  Berkshire, 
or  Chester  White  sows  produce  offspring  which  often  feed  better 
and  more  rapidly  than  the  pure-breds.  The  author  has  secured 
superior  feeding  pigs  by  mating  large  Yorkshire  boars  to  Poland- 
China  sows.  This  cross  fed  rapidly  and  carried  ample  flesh,  yet 
did  not  become  too  fat,  dressing  out  a  choice  carcass. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Poland-China  has  subjected  this  breed 
to  much  unfavorable  criticism  in  recent  years,  especially  in  the 
period  between  1900  and  1910.  This  criticism  has  been  especially 
directed  toward  the  smaller,  more  compact  type,  for  sows  of  this 
sort  will  not  breed  so  easily  nor  have  such  large  litters  as  the 
larger,  more  rangy  kind  of  females.  Many  breeders  of  recent 
years  have  seriously  criticized-  the  fecundity  and  reproductive 
power  of  this  breed,  and  no  doubt  the  great  increase  in  the  herds 
of  Chester  Whites  and  Duroc-Jerseys  is  due  to  dissatisfaction 
with  the  Poland-China  as  a  producer.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that 
the  average  sow  of  the  breed  produces  smaller  litters  than  any 
other  breed  well  known  in  our  feed  lots.  Dr.  Bitting  has  shown 
this  to  be  true  in  his  herdbook-record  study,  in  which  he  shows 
that  the  average  size  of  1086  Poland-China  litters  was  7.45  pigs 


730 


SWINE 


each,  400  Berkshires  8.22  pigs,  and  600  Chester  Whites  8.96 
pigs.  In  a  study  made  by  the  writer  of  the  litters  of  1 300  Poland- 
China  brood  sows,  farrowing  9335  pigs,  the  average  size  of  litter 
was  7.4  pigs,  essentially  the  same  result  as  secured  by  Dr.  Bitting. 
In  1906  George  M.  Rommel  published  a  study  of  Poland-China 
fecundity,  based  on  herdr^ook  records  covering  the  years  1882- 
1886  and  1898-1902.  Over  50,000  litters  were  considered,  in- 
cluding 103,458  pigs  for  1882-1886  which  averaged  7.04  pigs 

per  litter,  and  299,324 
pigs  for  1898-1902 
which  averaged  7.52 
pigs  per  litter.  These 
figures  seem  to  show  a 
slight  gain  rather  than 
loss  in  the  prolificacy 
of  this  breed.  In  the 
leaflet  of  the  Standard 
Poland-China  Record 
Association  previously 
quoted,  the  statement 
is  made  that  this  breed 
has  "  stood  consider- 


FIG.  341.  Miss  Rooseveldt  138448,  reserve  cham- 
pion Poland-China  sow  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase 
Exposition  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  1904.  This  sow 
was  of  the  medium  type  and  showed  much  refine- 
ment. Owned  by  Charles  E.  Keller,  Newark,  Ohio. 
From  photograph  by  the  author 


able  abuse  from  other 
breeds,  on  the  grounds 
of  not  being  prolific." 
Letters  were  sent  to 

nearly  one  hundred  breeders  inquiring  as  to  the  average  number 
of  pigs  farrowed  per  sow  during  three  years,  and  from  these 
replies  the  following  interesting  statement  is  made  up.  There 
was  an  average  of  9.75  pigs  per  litter,  and  one  herd  had  this  aver- 
age for  a  term  of  five  years  from  40  sows.  Another  breeder  aver- 
aged 10  pigs  from  25  sows  for  five  years.  Others  for  periods  of 
three  to  four  years  gave  averages  of  8.5  to  10,  with  some  litters 
of  15  to  1 8  pigs.  "There  were  many  litters  of  12,  13,  14,  and 
15  pigs  "each."  Many  of  the  sows  making  these  records  were  gilts 
with  their  first  litters.  In  a  study  of  the  prolificacy  of  the  Poland- 
China,  Professor  H.  W.  Vaughan  states1  that  of  2895  litters  of 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  August  16,  1917. 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  731 

big  type,  including  24,146  pigs,  and  3029  litters  of  medium  type, 
comprising  22,678  pigs,  the  big  type  averaged  8.34  pigs  to  the 
litter  and  the  medium  7.49. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Poland-China  is  very  pronounced,  though 
hardly  the  equal  of  some  of  the  older  breeds,  as,  for  example,  the 
Large  Yorkshire.  But  the  color  markings  and  characteristic  fea- 
tures of  the  head,  back,  and  hams  are  transmitted  with  much 
consistency.  The  large  number  of  grade  Poland-Chinas  in  the 
stockyards  show  the  distinctive  features  in  the  breed  and  bear 
striking  evidence  of  its  prepotency. 

Poland-China  families  and  foundation  sows  date  back  to  the 
establishment  of  the  breed.  Of  the  older  brood  sows  of  distinction 
the  following  are  notable :  Bessy  Pugh  88,  Lady  Pugh  516,  Lady 
Rue  518,  Old  Warner  sow  714,  Queen  Duffield  804,  Queen  of 
Black  Bess  Tribe  808,  White  Bess  1000,  and  White  Face  1002. 
In  addition  to  these  and  following  their  time  are  F's  Black  Bess  304, 
foundress  of  the  Black  Bess  family  ;  The  Old  Harkrader  sow  950  ; 
Graceful  1554,  foundress  of  the  Graceful  family;  Beauty  2558, 
dam  of  Tecumseh  4339  and  foundress  of  the  Tecumseh  family; 
Cora  Shellenberger  2880,  dam  of  Success  1999,  a  famous  sire ; 
Lady  Duffield  3776,  dam  of  Tom  Corwin  2d  2037  and  foundress 
of  the  Corwin  family  ;  Bess  Stibbens  1 168,  foundress  of  the  U.  S. 
family;  Bessie  Wilkes  8082,  dam  of  Chief  Perfection  32199,  head 
of  the  Perfection  family.  The  above  animals  and  families  represent 
breeding  of  the  corn-belt  states  east  of  the  Mississippi.  In  more 
recent  years  examples  of  the  big  type,  as  developed  farther  West, 
have  descended  from  these  noted  foundation  animals  :  Wonder 
Maid  277520,  Mollie  Fair  246474,  Mammoth  Giantess  97276,  Big 
Lill  186174,  Kramer's  Kind  592374,  and  Lady  Lunker  192572. 

Poland-China  sires  of  distinction  comprise  a  long  list.  Prom- 
inent among  the  early  sires  that  played  a  most  important  part  in 
the  improvement  of  the  breed  were  Alex  No.  i,  Butler  93,  John  3d 
311,  World  Beater  1213,  Perfection  447,  Young  Perfection  631, 
Old  Sweepstakes  253,  Success  1999,  Tom  Corwin  2d  2037, 
Tecumseh  4339,  and  Black  U.  S.  13471.  Early  in  the  twentieth 
century  Ideal  Sunshine  37885,  Chief  Perfection  39931  and  his 
son  Chief  Perfection  2d  42559  (perhaps  the  most  noted  sire  of  the 
breed),  Meddler  99999  (grand  champion  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase 


732 


SWINE 


Exposition  in  1904),  Keep  On  61015,  Corrector  2d  87699,  Thick- 
set 71221,  Perfection  E.  L.  71635,  Perfect  Perfection  80971,  and 
High  Roller  84255  were  in  great  favor.  In  more  recent  years, 
especially  since  1910,  big-type  hogs  have  commanded  the  atten- 
tion of  Poland-China  breeders.  The  three  big-type  boars  Expan- 
sion 26292,  Pawnee  Lad  30853,  and  Big  Hadley  40832  have 
been  termed  "  the  fathers  "  of  the  Poland-Chinas  of  this  type. 


FIG.  342.    Mountain  Bill  111963,  a  Poland-China  boar  of  the  big  type,  sold  by 

Silver  Brook  Farm,  Muncie^  Indiana,  to  E.  E.  Furver  of  Iowa  for  $5000.    From 

photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Silver  Brook  Farm 

Other  very  noted  big-type  boars  are  A  Wonder  47460,  Big  Timm 
67111,  Wonder  2d  75767,  Long  Wonder  66688,  Disher's  Giant 
240655,  Giant  Buster  240657,  Giant  Wonder  94537,  Longfellow 
119997,  Grand  Master  67666,  Gerstdale  Jones  244187,  The 
Clansman  103093,  and  Evolution  331333. 

Prices  for  Poland-China  pigs  surpass  those  paid  for  any  other 
breed  of  swine.  Some  of  the  highest  reputed  prices  occurred  in 
the  summer  of  1903,  when  at  auction  sales  held  in  Indiana  a 
number  of  pigs  were  sold  to  companies  of  buyers  on  a  shares 


THE  POLAND-CHINA  733 

basis.  For  example,  two  men  owned  a  half  interest  in  a  boar, 
which  they  sold  by  shares,  ten  shares  being  issued.  Each  owner 
reserved  one  share  and  then  offered  the  other  eight  at  auction. 
Thus  ten  men  came  into  ownership  of  a  boar,  eight  giving  security 
in  notes  or  cash,  usually  the  former.  By  such  a  plan  eight  shares 
of  interest  in  the  boar  Chief  Perfection  2d  were  sold  in  July,  1903, 
for  $13,850,  eight  men  bidding  off  the  shares  at  sums  ranging 
from  $1500  to  $2000  each.  On  the  basis  of  purchase  the  boar 
was  valued  at  $34,625,  an  absurd  proposition  on  the  face  of  it. 
Such  sales  for  a  season  made  a  great  furor,  but  soon  became  dis- 
credited and  were  discontinued.  Among  noteworthy  sales  of  regular 
form  is  that  of  King  Medium  on  December  23,  1896,  which  sold 
for  $  1 02  5 ,  the  highest  auction-sale  price  to  that  date.  Happy  Union 
34511  at  the  Howard  and  McAllister  sale  in  Iowa,  in  1897,  sold 
for  $4000  to  the  Happy  Union  Stock  Company.  The  same  year 
Look-Me-Over  19417,  another  boar,  sold  for  $3600  at  the  Hart  & 
Minnis  sale  at  Edinburg,  Illinois.  In  1905  the  boar  Meddler 
99999  sold  for  $3000  to  Edward  Ware.  In  August,  1907,  at 
Eldon,  Missouri,  at  Goodrich  Farm,  the  litter  of  pigs  of  the  sow 
Cute-Keep-On  237084  A  sold  for  a  total  of  $13,060.  Of  these 
the  boar  Ten  Strike  was  sold  to  T.  M.  Chambers  of  Kansas  for 
$5125;  another  pig,  Storm  Center,  went  to  William  Wingate  of 
Missouri  for  $4250  ;  while  a  third,  Sure  Shot,  sold  to  Alters  and 
Belshaw  of  Illinois  for  $2 1 50.  Forty-three  head  in  this  sale  brought 
$25,160.  In  1918  the  boar  Colonel  Jack  288991  was  sold  by 
Fred  Sievers  of  Iowa  for  $10,200  to  George  Klosterman  &  Sons 
of  Ohio.  This  same  year  Peter  Mouw  of  Iowa  sold  the  noted  boar 
Gerstdale  Jones  244187  to  Carter  and  Van  Deventer  of  Missouri 
for  $6600.  Wonder  Buster  9971 5  was  also  sold  by  W.  B.  Wallace 
to  Carter  and  Van  Deventer  for  $5300.  In  1919  the  Silver  Brook 
Farm  of  Indiana  sold  the  big-type  boar  Mountain  Bill  111963  to 
E.  E.  Furver  of  Iowa  for  $5000.  Also  the  big-type  boar  Moun- 
tain Giant  107101  was  sold  by  E.  J.  Emrick  &  Sons  of  Ohio  to 
Myer  Brothers  of  Nebraska  for  $5000.  This  same  year  two  other 
notable  sales  were  made,  William  Wrigley,  Jr.,  paying  $15,000 
for  The  Clansman  103093,  and  Uittenbogaard,  Henry,  &  Wegter, 
on  August  14,  paying  $25,200  for  the  boar  Evolution  331333. 
Up  to  1917  but  few  sows. of  the  breed  had  reached  four  figures, 


734  SWINE 

but  recently  very  high  figures  have  been  attained.  The  top  price 
was  paid  in  February,  1919,  when  the  sow  Kramer's  Kind  592374, 
dam  of  The  Clansman  103093,  was  sold  by  J.  L.  Davis  to  T.  E. 
Thompson  &  Sons  of  Indiana  for  $5600.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  on  October  21,  1919,  Thompson  &  Sons  sold  a  litter 
of  9  sow  pigs  and  I  boar  from  Kramer's  Kind,  sired  by  Giant 
Buster,  for  $17,325,  a  world's  record.  Robert  Halford  in  1918 
sold  a  yearling  sow  for  $3400.  On  February  23,  1918,  J.  A. 
Pfander  sold  the  sow  Mammoth  Giantess  I3th  191790,  said  to 
have  been  the  largest  Poland-China  sow  ever  bred,  for  $3300. 
The  sow  Buster's  Big  Model  217248  was  bought  in  1919  by 
Glover  &  Moore  for  $2525.  Fred  Sievers  of  Iowa  made  a  great 
sale  on  January  15,  1919,  when  he  sold  38  sows  and  gilts  for 
$28,850,  an  average  of  $760  per  head.  Ten  Colonel  Jack  gilts 
sold  for  $10,878.  At  another  remarkable  sale  held  August  14, 
1919,  by  W.  E.  Green,  Algona,  Iowa,  31  head  sold  for  $49,955, 
an  average  of  $1610.  This  is  the  highest-priced  sale  of  the  breed 
up  to  1920.  The  Poland-China  has  reached  higher  levels  on  prices 
paid  at  public  auction  than  has  any  other  breed  of  swine.  Some 
of  these  high  prices  are  regarded  as  a  detriment  to  the  welfare  of 
the  breed,  and  more  than  one  editorial  has  "been  published  in  the 
agricultural  press  severely  criticizing  this  kind  of  price  booming. 
*The  distribution  of  Poland-China  swine  is  mainly  through  the 
Mississippi  Valley  states  —  notably  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa, 
Missouri,  Oklahoma,  Kansas,  and  Nebraska.  The  breed  is  com- 
mon also  in  other  states.  Among  pigs  of  this  class  in  Canada 
heavy-fat  producers  are  not  popular  and  have  but  slight  hold.  The 
breed  has  been  introduced  abroad  in  a  small  way.  In  1877 
D.  M.  Magie  sent  three  head  to  Joseph  Munson,  at  Liverpool, 
England.  This  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  exportation  of  pure- 
bred swine  from  the  United  States.  In  1898  twelve  head  were 
sent  to  Russia,  six  from  the  Iowa  State  College  and  six  from 
H.  G.  McMillan  of  Iowa.  In  1919  many  pigs  of  the  breed  were 
exported  to  Brazil  and  Argentina.  The  Poland-China,  however, 
has  never  met  with  favor  outside  of  the  United  States.  This  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  a  leaner  type  of  pork  is  usually  desired. 

Organizations  for  the  promotion  of  Poland-China  pigs  are  strong 
and  influential.    The  Ohio  Poland-China  Record  Association  was 


THE  POLAND-CHINA 


735 


organized  at  Dayton  in  1878,  although  the  first  volume  of  the 
"Ohio  Poland-China  Record"  was  published  in  1877  by  Carl 
Friegau  and  M.  J.  Lawrence.  Twenty-six  volumes  of  this  record 
have  been  published  as  a  full  set.  The  American  Poland-China 
Record  Company  was  organized  in  January,  1878,  at  Cedar  Rapids, 
Iowa,  publishing  the  first  volume  of  its  herdbook  in  1879,  since 
which  it  has  published  seventy  volumes.  The  Central  Poland-China 
Association  was  organized  in  February,  1880,  at  Indianapolis, 
publishing  its  first  vol- 
ume the  sameyear.  The 
Northwestern  Poland- 
China  Swine  Associa- 
tion was  organized  at 
Washington,  Kansas, 
1 88 1.  The  Standard 
Poland-China  Record 
Association  was  or- 
ganized in  1887  at 
Maryville,  Missouri, 
publishing  the  first  vol- 
ume of  its  swine  record 
that  year,  and  has  pub- 
lished forty  volumes  FlG-  343-  Perfect  Lass  7th,  junior-champion  Spotted 
Up  to  the  year  IQIQ  Poland-China  sow  at  the  Indiana  State  Fair  in  1916. 


Owned   by   A.  S.  Booco,   Jeffersonville,    Indiana. 

From   photograph,   by  courtesy   of  the   National 

Spotted  Poland-China  Record  Association 


In  1896  the  South- 
western Poland-China 
Record  Association 

was  organized  at  Ripley,  Tennessee.  Two  very  small  herdbooks 
have  been  published,  including  approximately  two  thousand  regis- 
trations. In  1910  this  association  merged  with  the  American. 
Several  hundred  thousand  Poland-China  hogs  have  been  regis- 
tered, the  American,  Standard,  Central,  and  Ohio  associations 
each  doing  a  large  business.  Some  years  ago  an  effort  was 
made  to  amalgamate  all  the  different  Poland-China  associations 
into  one.  This  resulted  in  the  consolidation  in  1905  of  the 
Ohio  and  Central  Poland-China  associations  under  the  name  of 
the  "  National  Poland-China  Record,"  which,  up  to  1919,  had 
published  forty-one  volumes. 


736  SWINE 

THE  SPOTTED  POLAND-CHINA 

The  Spotted  Poland-China  is  a  type  of  Poland-China  that  has 
been  receiving  more  or  less  public  attention  since  about  1912.  Its 
promoters  assume  it  to  be  essentially  the  same  thing  as  the  old- 
fashioned  spotted  hogs  of  this  breed  of  long  years  ago  that  had 
been  bred  more  or  less  pure  in  Indiana  for  many  years.  On 
January  I,  1914,  there  was  incorporated  in  Indiana  the  National 
Spotted  Poland-China  Record  Association  for  preserving  the 
purity  and  promoting  the  welfare  of  this  family  by  registration 
and  otherwise.  An  official  publication  of  this  association  states  : 

There  are  a  number  of  well-known  breeders  in  central  Indiana  who  have  been 
breeding  these  hogs  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others  for  many  years,  and  they 
have  become  so  popular  and  widely  known  that  in  the  opinion  of  most  men 
in  this  section  they  are  not  only  superior  as  the  most  profitable  pork  producer 
and  all-around  farmers'  hog,  to  any  other  breed,  but  also  to  any  other  type  of 
Poland-China. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Spotted  Poland-China  are  as  follows  : 
the  color  is  a  well-defined  black  background,  over  which  is  scattered 
irregular  white  spots  of  varying  size.  The  general  form  is  that  of 
the  Poland-China,  excepting  that  it  is  characterized  by  good  length 
of  body,  heavy  bone,  and  some  coarseness  of  ear,  tail,  and  hair,  as 
compared  with  the  medium  type.  The  Spotted  type  weigh  up  to 
800  pounds  or  more  at  maturity,  farrow  from  9  to  1 2  pigs,  and  the 
sows  are  excellent  nurses.  "  Evenness  of  litters,  or  the  absence 
of  runts,  is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  and  frequent  comment." 

In  1915  the  association  championing  the  spotted  type  had  some- 
thing over  two  hundred  members,  of  whom  a  large  percentage 
were  located  in  Indiana.  A  few  herds  are  owned  in  Ohio,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas,  -Nebraska,  and  perhaps  in  other  states. 
Large  exhibits  of  the  Spotted  Poland-China  are  made  at  the 
Indiana  State  Fair,  but  thus  far  to  no  great  degree  elsewhere.  It 
is  very  likely  that  the  spotted  hog  will  meet  with  growing  favor  on 
account  of  its  large  size  and  prolificacy,  the  two  chief  arguments 
in  its  behalf.  This  association  up  to  1918  had  published  four 
herdbooks,  with  registrations  numbering  up  to  21,210. 


CHAPTER  LXIX 

THE  CHESTER  WHITE 

The  native  home  of  the  Chester  White  breed  of  swine  is  in  ex- 
treme southeastern  Pennsylvania,  in  Chester  and  Delaware  Counties. 
Geographically  these  two  counties  lie  between  75°  and  76°  west 
longitude,  and  40°  north  latitude  passes  through  each  county. 
Little  Delaware  County  borders  the  river  of  that  name,  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  is  close  by,  while  bordering  Delaware  on  the  west 
lies  the  much  larger  county  of  Chester.  The  region  is  crossed  by 
numerous  streams  of  fine  water,  the  land  is  rolling  and,  as  a  rule, 
fertile.  Heavy  crops  of  the  small  cereals,  Indian  corn,  and  grass 
are  grown  here.  Joining  Chester  County  on  the  west  is  Lancaster 
County,  one  of  the  richest  and  most  productive  agricultural  counties 
in  all  the  United  States. 

The  original  type  of  Chester  White  pig  first  became  prominent 
in  Chester  County.  Long  ago  there  existed  in  both  Chester  and 
Delaware  counties  a  large,  coarse,  white  pig.  It  has  even  been 
assumed  that  the  original  stock  of  this  sort  came  over  with  the 
early  colonists,  possibly  at  the  time  of  William  Penn.  Captain 
James  Jeffries  of  Westchester,  Pennsylvania,  in  a  voyage  to  Eng- 
land early  in  the  last  century  (1820),  secured  a  pair  of  white  pigs, 
male  and  female,  from  Bedford  County,  England.  These  pigs 
have  been  referred  to  both  as  Bedfordshire  and  Cumberland  breeds, 
though  the  former  is  the  usually  accepted  title.  The  boar,  which 
was  retained  by  Captain  Jeffries,  had  been  a  prize  winner  in  England 
and,  used  on  the  old  white  type  in  Pennsylvania,  had  a  distinctly 
refining  influence.  This  Jeffries  boar  was  white,  though  he  had 
bluish  or  blackish  skin  spots,  a  broad  back,  excellent  hams,  short 
legs,  and  a  refined  head  with  droopy  ears.  Following  the  Jeffries 
importation,  Harvey  Atwood  of  Delaware  County,  Pennsylvania, 
imported  some  white  Chinese  stock  from  England.  This  was  a 
sway-backed  sort,  with  short  legs,  short  face,  droopy  ears,  and 
having  black,  blue,  and  sandy  spots  in  the  hair,  and  possessing 

737 


738 


SWINE 


excellent  feeding  and  maturing  qualities.  The  stock  from  Jeffries 
and  Atwood  were  blended  together  along  with  the  common  white 
pigs  of  the  region,  and  from  this  has  come  the  first  strain,  if  it 
may  be  so  termed,  of  the  Chester  White  blood. 

The  adoption  of  the  name  "  Chester  White"  for  this  breed  of 
swine  is  said  to  have  come  about  in  the  following  manner.1  Uncle 
Bennie  Hickman,  in  1848,  made  the  comment  that  at  the  various 


FIG.  344.  Combination's  Defender  29509,  a  noted  Chester  White  show  boar 
and'  sire  owned  by  A.  G.  Satre,  Stanhope,  Iowa.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  Mr.  Satre 

fairs  he  had  attended  he  noticed  that  all  of  the  hogs  but  those 
he  regarded  as  the  best  had  names  given  them,  so  he  proposed 
that  the  best  ones  be  called  Chester  County  Whites.  Mr.  Atwood 
took  exception  to  this,  claiming  that  the  best  hogs  were  from 
Delaware  County.  As  these  gentlemen  could  not  agree  upon  the 
name,  the  advice  of  Aaron  Clements  was  sought,  who  suggested 
that  the  winner  of  the  most  prizes  at  the  Baltimore  and  Richmond 
fairs  should  give  the  name.  This  was  agreed  to,  but  upon  their 

1  Booklet  No.  4,  Chester  White  Swine  Record  Association,  July  i,  1915. 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  739 

return  from  the  fairs  it  was  found  that  each  had  won  the  same 
number  of  prizes.  Accordingly  a  committee  of  Messrs.  Thomas 
Chenney  and  Aaron  Clements  was  requested  to  settle  the  selection 
of  the  name,  and  they  chose  Chester  County  White. 

The  origin  of  the  so-called  Improved  Chester  White  goes  back 
to  England  also.  This  has  a  special  application  to  what  is  known 
as  Todd's  Improved  Chester  White  and  is  based  on  a  statement 
by  S.  H.  Todd,  and  adopted  January  16,  1901,  by  the  American 
Chester  White  Record  Association.  This  is  the  most  detailed 
information  published  concerning  the  ancestry  of  the_  improved 
breed.  In  1827  W.  K.  Townsend  of  East  Haven,  Connecticut, 
imported  from  England  some  Norfolk  Thin  Rind  pigs.  These 
were  black  dotted  with  white,  or  white  belted  with  black,  and  were 
blocky  of  type,  short-legged,  fine  of  hair,  and  vigorous.  Kneeland 
Todd  and  his  brother  Isaac  bought  a  boar  of  this  breed  and  a 
white  sow  of  medium  size  of  a  breed  known  locally  in  Connecticut 
as  the  Grass  breed.  No  doubt  this  sow  was  an  Irish  Grazier. 
In  1830  the  Todd  brothers  removed  from  Connecticut  to  Ohio 
and  brought  these  two  pigs  with  them.  These  were  bred  together 
in  Ohio  with  considerable  success,  producing  pigs  that  would 
dress  365  pounds  at  nine  months  of  age.  In  1833  Joseph 
Haskins  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Wakeman,  northern 
Ohio,  and  took  with  him  a  pair  of  pigs,  a  boar  of  the  Byfield 
breed,  and  a  sow  pig  similar  to  the  one  brought  from  Connecticut 
by  the  Todds.  The  Todd  and  Haskins  pigs  were  bred  back  and 
forth  until  1848.  That  year  Isaac  Todd  bought  from  Joel  Meade 
of  Norwalk,  Ohio,  a  large  white  boar  which  the  seller  called  the 
Large  Grass  breed.  This  was  used  in  his  herd  on  account  of 
its  good-feeding  and  early-maturing  quality.  In  1862  Isaac  Todd 
secured  a  so-called  Normandy  boar  of  unknown  breeding,  white 
in  color,  said  to  be  of  French  ancestry.  This  nicked  well  with  his 
stock,  and  he  produced  superior  feeders  and  handsome  pigs,  with 
which  he  attained  show-ring  success.  At  the  second  state  fair 
held  in  Ohio,  Isaac  Todd  with  this  stock  vanquished  all  compet- 
itors in  the  show  ring.  In  1865  Todd  first  introduced  Chester 
White  blood  in  his  herd  with  satisfactory  results.  At  this  period 
his  son,  Seth  H.  Todd,  took  up  the  work.  More  Chester  White 
blood  was  used,  and  in  1867  the  son  bought  a  pair  of  pure-bred 


740  SWINE 

Chester  White  pigs  of  George  B.  Hickman.  These  were  used  in 
the  herd,  and  the  boar  proved  a  most  successful  sire.  From  this 
period  on,  for  about  forty  years,  S.  H.  Todd  bred  and  improved 
the  Chester  White  and  played  a  leading  part  in  its  development. 
The  claim  has  been  made  that  Poland-China  blood  has  been 
used  in  the  improvement  of  this  breed,  but  this  Mr.  Todd  says 
"  is  entirely  false  "  in  its  application  to  his  own  breeding.  He 
rather  attributed  it  to  a  reversion  to  the  black  color  found  in 


FIG.  345.    Big  Buster  46015,  grand-champion  Chester  White  boar  at  the  1918 

National  Swine  Show.    This  boar  at  seventeen  months  of  age  weighed  820  pounds. 

From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  Chester  White  Journal 

the  Thin  Rind  or  Bedford  hog.  Besides  S.  H.  Todd,  Thomas 
Wood  of  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  has  been  an  important 
improver  of  the  breed. 

The  Ohio  Improved  Chester  White,  commonly  referred  to  as  the 
O.  I.  C.,  is  a  line  of  breeding  especially  promoted  by  L.  B.  Silver, 
who  began  breeding  at  Salem,  Ohio.  In  1865  he  made  a  trip 
through  the  Eastern  states  to  study  the  pure  breeds  of  swine. 
In  an  article  written  in  1911  he  states1  that  the  parent  stock 
was  selected  with  much  care  in  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania, 
"  from  time  to  time,  from  the  best  herds,  and  as  many  as  possible, 
in  order  to  have  a  large  number  not  akin."  Mr.  Silver  desired  to 

1  Breeders'  Gazette,  November  i,  1911. 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  741 

produce  a  hog  that  would  meet  the  wants  of  the  farmer  or  stock 
breeder.  He  writes  :  "I  saw  they  sadly  needed  improvement, 
and  did  not  present  evidence  of  careful  breeding.  There  was  not 
that  uniformity  of  size,  shape,  or  style  that  should  characterize  a 
herd  of  whatever  name."  The  O.  I.  C.  strain,  as  promoted  by 
Mr.  Silver,  in  the  opinion  of  many,  was  larger  and  more  prolific 
than  the  common  run  of  Chester  Whites.  Mr.  Silver  has  made 
the  claim  that  this  is  "  now  known  as  a  distinct  breed,"  but  such 
is  not  the  case,  and  it  has  never  been  regarded  by  the  well 
informed  as  a  separate  breed. 

Characteristics  of  the  Chester  White.  As  is  indicated  by  the 
name,  this  is  a  pure-white  breed,  although  small  black  or  bluish- 
black  spots  occur  on  the  skin  to  some  extent.  Such  spots  do  not 
disqualify,  but  are  undesirable.  The  official  Chester  White  scale 
of  points  states  that  "  red  or  black  spots  in  the  hair  disqualify, 
but  blue  spots  in  the  hide  (commonly  known  as  freckles),  while 
objectionable  and  should  be  discouraged,  do  not  argue  impurity 
of  blood."  The  head  has  a  straight  face,  the  nose  often  tends 
to  be  long  and  narrow,  and  the  ears  droop  forward,  breaking  over 
one  third  to  one  half  of  the  length.  Thick,  heavy  ears  are  not 
uncommon.  The  more  desirable  ear  is  thin  and  covered  with  fine 
hair  and  of  medium  size.  In  the  best  examples  the  back  is  very 
wide,  with  a  tendency  to  considerable  arch.  The  depth  of  body 
is  usually  excellent,  showing  large  digestive  and  reproductive 
capacity  with  the  females.  In  recent  years  the  breed  has  gone 
through  some  improvement,  and  both  shoulders  and  hams  are 
superior  in  smoothness  and  thickness  to  what  they  were  at  one 
time.  The  legs  may  be  short,  the  pastern  weak,  the  toes  too 
much  spread  and  bent,  and  the  dewclaws  too  low  set.  This  weak- 
ness is  due  no  doubt  to  the  early-maturing,  rapid-fattening  quality 
of  the  breed,  the  weight  being  too  great  for  the  feet  to  sustain 
properly.  This  calls  for  stronger  bone  in  the  make-up  of  the 
Chester  White,  a  feature  to  which  the  better  breeders  are  giving 
attention.  The  quality  of  hair  is  about  medium,  with  a  tendency 
to  coarseness,  while  curly  hair  is  not  uncommon.  The  modern 
specimen  of  the  breed  shows  a  finer  hair  than  did  the  older  type. 
A  tendency  on  the  part  of  this  as  well  as  other  white  breeds  is 
to  sun  scald  and  scurfiness  of  skin,  especially  in  the  West,  when 


742 


SWINE 


exposed  to  a  hot  sun  and  dry  weather.  In  temperament  the 
Chester  White  is  excellent,  being  quiet  and  well  suited  to  feeding. 
The  size  of  the  Chester  White  is  about  medium.  Formerly  it 
was  our  largest  breed,  and  specimens  were  exhibited  weighing 
over  1000  pounds.  The  tendency  about  the  beginning  of  the 
twentieth  century  was  toward  too  much  refinement,  but  in  recent 
years  breeders  have  sought  more  size  and  bone.  The  official 
scale  of  points  of  the  Chester  White  Swine  Record  Association 


FIG.  346.  Combination  Again  39181,  a  noted  Chester  White  boar  owned  by  W.  A. 
McMahon,  West  Liberty,  Iowa.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  McMahon 

gives  the  following  standard  weights  :  boars  two  years  old  and 
over,  in  good  flesh,  not  less  than  500  pounds,  and  sows  of  the 
same  age  and  condition,  not  less  than  450  pounds  ;  boars  eighteen 
months  old,  in  good  flesh,  should  weigh  not  less  than  400  pounds 
and  sows  350  pounds;  boars  twelve  months  old  not  less  than 
350  pounds  and  sows  300  pounds;  boars  and  sows  six  months 
old  not  less  than  150  pounds  each,  and  other  ages  in  proportion. 
In  the  opinion  of  the  writer  the  weights  given  for  the  older 
hogs  are  too  light.  In  common  with  the  Poland-China  and 
Duroc-Jersey,  the  Chester  White  leaders  of  to-day  are  promoting 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  743 

the  big  type,  and  the  advertisements  are  full  of  references  to  the 
giant  or  mammoth  Chester  White.  For  example,  Mammoth 
King,  Jumbo  Wonder,  Big  Bone  Industry,  Big  Chief,  Big  Buster, 
and  Ohio's  Giant  are  samples  of  names  in  common  use  to-day, 
indicative  of  the  emphasis  on  size.  Mammoth  King  40917  when 
eighteen  months  old  is  said  to  have  weighed  750  pounds  in 
breeding  condition,  and  at  maturity  he  stood  3  feet  high,  measured 
io|  inches  shank  bone,  "and  could  easily  have  been  made  to 
weigh  1050  pounds."  The  following  weights  are  given  as  repre- 
senting the  big-type  Chester  White,  the  figures  being  quoted  from 
standard  advertising  :  White  Rex  45079,  750  pounds  ;  Prince  Big 
Bone  43569,  about  720  pounds;  Ohio's  Giant  33573  and  Chief 
Kossuth  31839,  each  about  800  pounds;  Creditor  1016  pounds. 
Big  Buster  46015,  according  to  his  owner,  H.  A.  Derenthal,  is 
84  inches  from  butt  of  ear  to  tail  head,  70  inches  heart  girth, 
72  inches  hind-flank  girth,  and  1 1  inches  in  circumference  of 
shank  bone. 

The  Chester  White  as  a  grazer  will  do  very  well  in  the  North 
and  will  make  satisfactory  showing  on  alfalfa,  the  clovers,  or  rape, 
comparing  favorably  with  other  breeds.  In  the  Central  States 
these  white  hogs  are  commonly  seen  on  the  pastures  during  the 
growing  season. 

The  Chester  White  as  a  feeder  is  regarded  with  esteem.  Bar- 
rows of  this  breed  will  compare  favorably  with  any  breed  in 
returning  results  for  grain  fed.  Experimental  feeding  at  various 
stations  has  given  excellent  returns.  At  the  Indiana  Experiment 
Station  gains  have  been  made  of  I  pound  live  weight  from  less 
than  3  pounds  of  grain.  In  a  test  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
days  at  the  Vermont  Station,  Chester  Whites  made  an  average 
daily  gain  of  1.36  pounds,  dressing  out  84.5  per  cent  carcass.  At 
the  Maine  Station  a  daily  average  gain  of  1.15  pounds  was  secured 
for  one  hundred  and  forty  days  and  of  1 .05  pounds  for  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  days  at  the  Ontario  Agricultural  College.  In  the 
carcass  contests  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  the 
Chester  White  has  made  a  very  creditable  showing,  winning  many 
prizes,  including  firsts  and  grand  championships.  Records  are  given 
of  carcasses  that  dressed  out  as  high  as  88  per  cent.  The  grand- 
champion  barrow  of  1911,  shown  by  J.  W.  Brendel  of  Indiana, 


744  SWINE 

weighed  alive  352  pounds  and  dressed  out  86.3  per  cent.  In  1912, 
in  an  exhibit  of  59  carcasses  represented  by  six  breeds,  grades  and 
crossbreds,  the  Chester  White  won  a  large  percentage  of  the  prizes, 
including  the  grand-champion  carcass.  Again,  at  the  1919  Inter- 
national the  breed  was  preeminent  in  the  carcass  contest,  winning 
90  per  cent  of  the  prizes,  including  the  grand  championship. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  the  Chester  White  are  above  the  aver- 
age. The  pigs  have  much  the  same  tendency  as  the  Poland-China 


FIG.  347.    The  grand-champion  Chester  White  barrow  at  the  1918  International 

Live- Stock  Exposition.   Bred  and  exhibited  by  the  University  of  Illinois.    From 

photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  Chester  White  Journal 

to  mature  and  finish  off  early  in  the  fattening  pen,  especially 
when  of  the  medium  type.  Sometimes  this  feature  is  carried 
to  an  undesirable  extreme. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Chester  White  is  not  as  great  as  some 
of  the  dark-skinned  breeds.  It  has  found  its  greatest  foothold  on 
the  lower-lying  and  more  fertile  lands  of  the  Middle  West.  It  is 
not  so  well  suited  to  extreme  heat,  such  as  may  prevail  in  some 
sections  of  the  South,  as  it  tends  to  suffer  from  sun  scald. 

The  quality  of  Chester  White  pork  may  be  regarded  as  good. 
The  breed,  however,  carries  much  fat  and  will  not  produce  a 
high-class  bacon,  as  based  on  the  English  market ;  neither  under 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE  745 

ordinary  conditions  as  fed  in  the  corn  belt  will  the  meat  be  quite 
the  equal  in  percentage  of  fat  to  lean  to  that  of  the  Berkshire. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Chester  White  makes  a  superior  feeder ._ 
The  Chester  White  and  Poland-China  cross  well  and  in  the  opin- 
ion of  many  make  better  feeders  than  the  pure-breds  of  either 
breed.  Both  crossbreds  and  grade  fat  stock  at  the  International 
Live-Stock  Exposition  have  made  very  high-class  records.  In  1911 
F.  E.  Bone  won  the  first  prize  in  each  class  of  heavy,  medium, 
and  light-weight  barrow  with  grade  Chester  Whites.  Again,  in 
1912,  Mr.  Bone  won  first  place  on  heavy  and  medium-weight 
grade  barrows  in  strong  competition,  and  the  first-prize  light-weight 
barrow  was  a  cross  of  pure-bred  Poland-China  boar  on  Chester 
Wrhite  sow,  shown  by  John  Erancis  and  Sons  of  Illinois,  noted 
Poland-China  breeders.  This  same  cross  shown  by  Francis  and 
Sons  won  the  grand  championship  on  carcass.  The  1917  Inter- 
national grand-champion  carcass  was  also  a  light-weight  grade 
Chester  White  exhibited  by  F.  E.  Bone,  which  sold  at  twenty- 
eight  cents  a  pound,  three  and  one-half  cents  higher  than  the 
next  highest-priced  carcass.  In  addition  to  advantages  as  feeders 
that  may  be  possessed  by  the  crossbred  or  grade,  prolificacy  is 
quite  marked. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Chester  White  is  very  pronounced  ;  in 
fact,  this  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  prolific  of  the  lard 
type  of  pigs.  In  1897  Dr.  A.  W.  Bitting  of  Purdue  University 
made  a  special  study  of  the  prolificacy  of  swine,  in  which  he 
showed  that  the  Chester  White  sows  averaged  8.96  pigs  per  litter, 
surpassing  both  Berkshire  and  Poland-China  in  the  order  given. 
Chester  White  breeders  have  long  maintained  that  prolificacy  was 
one  of  the  strong  features  of  the  breed,  and  there  is  no  doubt  as 
to  the  truth  of  the  claim.  This  quality  of  reproduction  is  inter- 
estingly set  forth  by  O.  H.  Smith  of  Trumbull  County,  Ohio,1 
who  reports  on  a  sow  of  the  breed  owned  by  him  that  farrowed 
1 6  pigs  January  22,  1910;  14  pigs  June  26,  1910;  and  20  pigs 
December  5,  1910 — a  total  of  50  in  three  hundred  and  seventeen 
days,  which  might  be  regarded  as  maximum  production.  Queen 
Viola,  one  of  the  most  noted  sows  of  the  breed,  farrowed  a  litter 
of  19  pigs  in  1917.  A  writer  in  the  National  Stockman  and 

1  Ohio  Farmer,  February  25,  1911. 


746  SWINE 

Farmer,  in  1898,  reports  on  a  three-quarter  blood  Chester  White 
sow,  five  years  of  age,  that  during  the  full  period  of  her  life  far- 
rowed 78  pigs,  an  average  of  almost  20  pigs  a  year.  As  a  rule 
the  sows  have  excellent  udders  and  make  good  mothers,  at  least 
as  good  as  other  breeds. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Chester  White  is  very  marked.  The 
white  color  is  transmitted  with  great  uniformity,  and  a  boar  of  this 
breed  may  be  expected  to  impress  himself  on  his  crossbred  or 
grade  offspring  to  a  noteworthy  degree. 

Families  of  Chester  White  swine.  Until  very  recent  years  not 
much  attention  was  given  by  Chester  White  breeders  to  the  devel- 
opment of  special  families.  Blood  lines  were  very  generally  min- 
gled, and  the  breed  was  developed  in  a  quiet  way.  Present-day 
breeders  seldom  refer  to  families  as  descended  from  females  of 
note,  but  rather  emphasize  important  sires.  Among  the  families 
looked  upon  with  special  favor  are  the  St.  Elmo,  Schoolmaster, 
Kossuth,  Pathfinder,  Combination,  and  Pocket  Piece. 

Chester  White  sires  of  distinction,  as  might  be  presumed,  do 
not  date  back  many  years  in  the  history  of  the  breed.  The  last  ten 
years  have  given  us  most  of  our  knowledge  of  the  Chester  White 
sires  of  importance.  Among  them  the  following  are  regarded  with 
special  favor:  Wonder  18069,  Pocket  Piece  200015,  Schoolmaster 
24325,  Wildwood  Prince  28531,  Chickasaw  Kossuth  20279. 

The  prices  paid  for  Chester  White  pigs  until  recently  were  very 
modest  compared  with  those  paid  for  other  prominent  breeds.  In 
the  past  breeders  have  largely  relied  upon  private  sales.  In  1893 
S.  .H.  Todd  sold  the  boar  pig  Banker  2293,  that  was  first  in  class 
at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  for  $150.  This 
Mr.  Todd  claimed  to  be  the  highest  price  paid  for  a  Chester  White 
up  to  that  time.  Early  in  1913  the  boar  Pocket  Piece  200015 
was  sold  by  J.  W.  Brendel  of  Indiana  to  Maple  Farm  of  Illinois 
for  $500.  In  1915  the  boar  Schoolmaster  24325  was  bought  by 
Crandall  Brothers  of  Michigan  for  $800.  On  February  22,  1917, 
J.  L.  Barber  sold  the  sow  Queen  Viola,  grand  champion  of 
the  breed  at  the  National  Swine  Show  of  1916,  for  $1000  to 
Albert  C.  Brecher  of  Iowa.  The  greatest  auction  sale  of  Chester 
Whites  up  to  1918  occurred  at  Ames,  Iowa,  on  January  24,  1918, 
when  W.  T.  Barr  sold  47  head  for  $9582.50,  an  average  of 


THE  CHESTER  WHITE 


747 


$203.88.  The  sow  Our  Maid  3d  86502,  National  Swine  Show 
grand  champion  for  1917,  sold  for  $1005  to  A.  G.  Satre  of  Iowa. 
In  1919  Miss  Leonora  4th  100772,  champion  at  the-  National- 
Swine  "Show,  sold  on  February  19  at  the  W.  T.  Barr  auction  in 
Iowa  for  $4200  to  B.  M.  Boyer  &  Sons  of  Iowa.  At  this  sale  of 
Mr.  Barr  40  head  averaged  $557  each.  The  top  price  on  a  boar 
was  $6000,  paid  by  M.  F.  Black  of  Nebraska  for  Wildwood 
Prince,  Jr.,  34827,  champion  at  the  National  Swine  Show  in 
1918.  In  1918  the  average  price  paid  for  5456  sows  sold  at  public 
auction  was  $136.75. 
Seven  of  these  sows 
brought  $1000  or  more 
and  8  5  brought  $  5  oo  or 
more.  Ini9i9theboar 
King  Anak  69539, 
junior  champion  at  the 
National  Swine  Show, 
was  bought  by  C.  F. 
Brown  of  Webster  City, 
Iowa,  for  $2000.  Prince 
32743  was  purchased 
for  $3000  in  1919  by 
Henry  Wiemers,  Dil- 
ler,  Nebraska. 

The  distribution  of 
the   Chester  White  is 

widespread  in  the  United  States,  but  more  especially  in  the  corn- 
belt  section.  The  Chester  White  Record  Association  has  a  large 
membership,  distributed  over  forty-eight  states,  with  Illinois,  In- 
diana, Iowa,  Minnesota,  Missouri,  Nebraska,  Ohio,  and  Wisconsin 
furnishing  a  large  share  of  the  total.  In  recent  years  the  breed 
has  steadily  grown  in  favor  in  the  above-named  states,  but  has  not 
increased  much  elsewhere.  Some  sections  of  the  eastern  United 
States,  especially  Pennsylvania,  have  long  looked  with  favor  on  this 
breed,  but  work  in  its  behalf  is  not  active,  as  in  the  West.  For 
reasons  already  given,  the  distribution  in  the  South  is  quite  nominal, 
though  it  has  found  a  few  advocates  in  Kentucky,  West  Virginia, 
South  Carolina,  and  Mississippi. 


FIG.  348.  Miss  Leonora  4th  100772,  grand-champion 
Chester  White  female  at  the  1918  National  Swine 
Show.  Exhibited  by  W.T.  Barr,  Ames,  Iowa.  Sold  by 
Mr.  Barr  in  1919  to  B.  M.  Boyer  &  Sons  for  $4200. 
From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Barr 


748  SWINE 

Organizations  promoting  the  Chester  White.  In  1884  there  was 
organized  at  Eminence,  Kentucky,  the  National  Chester  White 
Swine  Record  Association,  but  after  a  few  years  the  headquarters 
were  moved  to  West  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  where  it  is  still 
located.  The  first  volume  of  the  herdbook  contained  five  hundred 
and  fifty-one  registrations.  Up  to  1918  this  association  had  pub- 
lished eighteen  volumes.  In  1885  the  Chester  White  Record 
Association  was  organized  in  Ohio,  and  later  this  became  known 
as  the  "American  Chester  White  Record,"  "  for  the  purpose  of 
making  and  maintaining  a  registry  of  the  Todd  Improved  Chester 
White  Swine,"  with  headquarters  at  Columbus.  Four  volumes  of 
"  Todd's  Improved  Chester  White  Swine  Record "  were  pub- 
lished, the  first  appearing  in  1885.  In  1894  the  articles  of  incor- 
poration were  changed  to  read  American  Chester  White  Record 
Association,  and  Volume  V  was  designated  "American  Chester 
White  Record."  Up  to  1919  twenty-three  records  had  been 
published.  In  1895  the  International  Ohio  Improved  Chester 
Record  was  incorporated  in  New  York  State,  although  in  1891 
this  association  had  published  a  herd  record.  The  Ohio  Improved 
Chester  White  Swine  Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in 
1897  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Twenty  records  have  thus  far  been 
published.  The  Standard  Chester  White  Record  Association  was 
organized  in  1894  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  Volume  I  appeared 
in  1895,  and  eighteen  volumes  were  published  up  to  1913,  when 
it  and  the  American  association  consolidated  to  form  the  Chester 
White  Swine  Record  Association,  with  headquarters  at  Rochester, 
Indiana.  This  is  now  the  main  promoting  organization  of  the 
breed.  In  1909  the  Western  O.  I.  C.  Recording  Company  organ- 
ized in  Nebraska,  later  changing  its  name  to  the  National  O.  I.  C. 
Chester  White  Record  Association,  with  headquarters  at  Kansas 
City,  Kansas,  but  in  1915  this  consolidated  with  the  Chester  White 
Record  Association  at  Rochester,  Indiana.  A  monthly  publication 
known  as  the  Chester  White  Journal,  published  at  Rochester, 
Indiana,  is  devoted  to  the  promotion  of  the  breed.  This  was 
formerly  known  as  the  White  Breeders  Companion,  but  in  1918 
the  title  was  changed. 


CHAPTER  LXX 
THE  HAMPSHIRE 

The  early  history  of  the  Hampshire  breed  of  swine  is  veiled  in 
obscurity.  This  breed  was  known  for  many  years  in  the  United 
States  as  the  Thin  Rind,  and  this  name  was  made  use  of  by  the 
author  in  the  first  edition  of  this  book.  In  1904  the  American 
Thin  Rind  Record  Association  changed  its  name  and  the  name  of 
the  breed  to  that  of  "  Hampshire."  With  absolutely  no  prejudice  in 
the  matter,  the  author  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  use  of  this 
name  was  ill-advised,  for  the  reason  that  "  quite  a  different  breed 
of  pigs  exists  at  present  under  that  name  in  England."  In  fact, 
all  of  the  historical  and  other  information  available  to  the  writer 
seems  to  support  the  opinion  that  there  never  did  exist  in  Hamp- 
shire, England,  a  recognized  breed  of  belted  swine.  George  Culley, 
an  authority  on  the  breeds  in  his  time,  in  1 789  refers  1  neither  to  the 
Hampshire  nor  to  a  belted  breed.  In  1807  a  "  Lincolnshire  grazier" 
describes2  the  Hampshire  as  "chiefly  white;  neck  and  carcass 
long ;  body  not  so  well  formed  as  the  Berkshire  pigs  ;  size  large." 
In  1842  Professor  Low  wrote3  that  "the  Hampshire  hogs  were  a 
very  noted  breed,  from  their  being  of  large  size,  and  well  suited 
for  bacon,"  but  he  made  no  reference  to  the  color.  In  1846 
William  Youatt,  the  greatest  of  the  early  authors  on  the  subject 
of  breeds,  wrote :4  "Here  there  are  two  varieties,  the  one  larger  than 
the  other  ;  in  color  they  are  either  white  or  black  and  white  with 
long  necks  and  bodies,  flat  sides,  and  large  bones."  Further,  he 
writes  that  there  is  also  a  third  variety  found  in  Hampshire, 
"  in  many  points  strongly  resembling  the  wild  boar,"  which  he 
states  "is  of  a  dark  or  blackish  color"  and  is  no  favorite  in 
Hampshire.  In  1871  Samuel  Sidney  refers5  to  the  Hampshire 

1  Observations  on  Live  Stock.    Dublin,  1789. 

2  The  Complete  Grazier  (second  edition).    London,  1807. 

3  David  Low,  Domesticated  Animals  of  the  British  Islands.  London,  1842. 

4  William  Youatt,  The  Pig.    Philadelphia,  1847. 

5  The  Pig.    London,  1871. 

749 


750 


SWINE 


as  black  or  spotted  with  red  and  about  the  size  of  a  Berkshire. 
He  also  states  that  there  are  "a  considerable  number  of  white 
pigs  in  Hampshire."  Sanders  Spencer,  an  acknowledged  British 
authority  on  the  pig,  in  correspondence  assures  the  author  that  a 
belted  breed  of  swine  has  not  been  known  in  Hampshire.  In  his 
most  recent  work  Mr.  Spencer  says1  that  the  Hampshire  pig  re- 
minds one  somewhat  of  the  large  black  pigs  found  in  the  west  of 
England,  whence  perhaps  stock  pigs  have  been  brought.  Walker, 
in  1905,2  gives  a  picture  of  three  Hampshire  pigs,  black  in  color, 

with  erect  ears,  sug- 
gesting an  Essex, 
excepting  for  a  some- 
what straight  face. 
The  author  has  dwelt 
somewhat  at  length  on 
this  subject  to  set  forth 
the  character  of  swine 
natural  to  Hampshire, 
England,  and  to  show 
that  there  is  no  logical 
reason  to  give  that 
name  to  a  belted  breed. 
In  fact,  with  a  recog- 
nized black  Hamp- 
shire in  England,  it  would  seem  unfortunate  to  attach  the  same 
name  to  quite  a  different  breed  in  another  country. 

The  recognition  of  a  belted,  or  sheeted,  breed  of  swine  dates 
back  to  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  In  1842  there  was  pub- 
lished in  London  a  special  edition  de  luxe  of  Low's  "  Breeds  of 
the  Domesticated  Animals  of  the  British  Islands,"  containing  large 
and  beautiful  illustrations  in  colors.  One  page  is  of  a  rough- 
looking,  lop-eared  sow  with  white  belt,  white  head,  and  white  legs. 
This  illustration  is  given  the  title  of  an  "  Old  English  Sow  from 
the  Midland  Counties,"  and  in  the  chapter  on  the  "  Old  English 
Breed,"  of  which  this  picture  is  a  part,  no  reference  whatever  is 
made  to  Hampshire  as  the  home  of  this  belted  hog.  In  fact 

1  Pigs  :  Breeds  and  Management.    London,  1898. 

2  Pigs  for  Profit,  p.  132.    London,  1905. 


FIG.  349.  "A  portrait  of  a  Norfolk  Thin  Rined  Hog." 
From  an  engraving  printed  about  1 840,  sent  the  author 
by  the  late  W.  R.  Goodwin  of  the  Breeders'  Gazette 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  751 

Hampshire  is  in  extreme  south  England  and  is  not  one  of  the 
Midland  counties.  No  evidence  whatever  can  be  deduced  from 
Low's  writings  even  to  suggest  the  existence  of  a  belted  breed  in~ 
Hampshire,  notwithstanding  published  statements  to  the  contrary. 
Sidney,  in  1871,  stated1  that  the  original  Essex  pig  was  a  parti- 
colored animal,  black  with  white  shoulders,  nose,  and  legs  —  in 
fact,  a  sort  of  sheeted  pig,  large,  upright,  and  coarse  in  bone. 
Later,  in  1898,  Spencer  also  writes2: 

There  existed  in  Essex  and  a  part  of  Cambridgeshire  a  variety  of  pigs 
curiously  marked,  being,  as  it  was  commonly  called,  sheeted  or  saddle-backed, 
the  actual  color  being  a  black  with  a  streak  of  white  which  extended  from  be- 
hind the  shoulders  to  about  the  hips.  .  .  .  One  may  occasionally  see  a  few 
specimens  of  the  sheeted  pig  in  Essex,  but  these  are  simply  the  outcroppings 
of  the  old  breed,  as  they  have  ceased  to  be  bred  to  those  points  which  were  at 
one  time  considered  to  be  distinctive  of  the  sort. 

The  introduction  of  the  Hampshire  pig  to  America  seems  of 
questionable  date.  The  claim  has  been  made  that  Captain  John 
Mackay,  who  commanded  a  packet  ship  plying  between  Boston 
and  Liverpool,  brought  some  belted  swine  to  America  between 
1820  and  1825  to  a  farm  which  he  owned  near  Boston.  While 
there  are  numerous  references  in  early  American  agricultural 
periodicals  to  the  Mackay  hog,  the  writer  is  unable  to  secure  any 
description  that  refers  to  the  Mackay  as  a  belted  hog ;  in  fact,  the 
references  give  it  as  a  white  breed  which  sometimes  is  marked  with 
a  few  black  or  sandy  spots.  In  1842,  in  an  almanac  published  by 
the  Western  Farmer  and  Gardener  at  Cincinnati,  is  an  illustrated 
chapter  on  hogs,  in  which  the  different  prominent  breeds  are  dis- 
cussed. In  this  we  find  a  picture  of  the  Thin  Rind,  or  Rhinoceros, 
breed,  with  an  account  of  its  characteristics  and  probable  ancestry, 
as  set  forth  by  the  editor  of  the  Kentucky  Farmer,  who  was  a 
breeder  of  these  hogs.  Herein  he  states  that  their  color  is  not  fixed, 
and  that  he  has  seen  them  jet  black  and  pure  white,  but  that  they 
are  commonly  listed  (sheeted  or  belted)  and  never  spotted.  In  this 
article  the  writer  says  :  "  They  were  imported  some  years  ago,  as  I 
understand^  from  Tonquin  in  China,  by  a  merchant  of  New  Orleans, 
and  then  brought  to  Kentucky  by  Captain  John  A.  Hoi  ton  of 

1  Samuel  Sidney,  The  Pig,  p.  29.    London,  1871. 

2  Sanders  Spencer,  Pigs  :  Breeds  and  Management. 


752 


SWINE 


Franklin  County.  They  are  generally  supposed  to  be  nearly  identi- 
cal with  the  Siamese,  but  may  be  akin  to  the  Swingtailed  breed 
of  the  early  English  writers."  According  to  H.  F.  Work  of 
Indiana,  Henry  James,  a  Boone  County  (Kentucky)  farmer,  in  a 
visit  to  some  of  the  Eastern  states  in  the  early  thirties,  saw  some 
belted  hogs.  These  he  described  to  Major  Joel  Garnett,  who  in- 
vestigated and  later  purchased  from  people  in  Atlantic  seaboard 
states  14  or  15  of  these  pigs,  which  were  delivered  to  his  agent 


FIG.  350.    Colonel  Lakeside  21865,  winner  of  the  Hampshire  Advocate  trophy  as 

the  best  boar  under  one  year  old  at  the  Illinois  State  Fair  in  1914.    A  successful 

sire  owned  by  C.  L.  Moore  &  Sons,  Tremont,  Illinois.     From  photograph,  by 

courtesy  of  the  owners 

in  Philadelphia  and  later  driven  on  foot  or  hauled  in  wagons  to 
Pittsburgh,  from  which  point  they  were  taken  by  boat  to  Kentucky, 
reaching  there  in  1835.  Shepard,  in  his  writings,1  refers  to  the 
Norfolk  Thin  Rind — first  imported  from  England  in  1830  by 
Henry  Degroot  of  New  York  —  as  similar  to  the  Thin  Rind, 
although  his  references  to  color  do  not  specify  a  belted  pig.  How- 
ever, the  author  has  in  his  possession  2  a  wood  engraving  of  special 

1  S.  M.  Shepard,  The  Hog  in  America.    Indianapolis,  1886. 

2  Received  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Breeders'  Gazette. 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  753 

print,  entitled  "  Portrait  of  a  Norfolk  Thin  Rined  Hog."  This 
shows  a  true  belted  hog,  resembling  the  present-day  Hampshire, 
bred  and  fattened  by  William  K.  Townsend  of  Prospect  Hill,  near 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  that  was  butchered  in  January,  1840, 
and  that  at  sixteen  months  old  had  a  dead  weight  of  480  pounds. 
The  probability  is  that  this  Norfolk  Thin  Rind  pig  did  not 
represent  a  distinct  breed  of  this  sort  in  Norfolk,  England,  for 
British  authorities  do  not  refer  to  any  belted  swine  in  that  county  ; 


FIG.  351.    General  Allen  1061,  a  noted  Hampshire  show  boar  and  sire.    Grand 

champion  at   eleven   state  fairs   and  expositions.   Owned  by  J.  Crouch  &  Son, 

Lafayette,  Indiana.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  the  owners 

furthermore,  they  are  hardly  complimentary  in  their  comments  on 
the  pigs  there.  It  is  possible  that  the  first  belted  pigs  came  to 
America  from  Holland.  Mr.  F.  R.  Sanders  in  1907  visited  Holland 
to  study  the  belted  cattle  of  that  country,  and  on  his  return  reported 1 
that  in  North  Holland  for  more  than  one  hundred  years  noblemen 
there  had  bred  belted  cattle,  pigs,  and  poultry. 

Characteristics  of  the  Hampshire.  The  headis  straight  of  face, 
of  medium  size,  with  a  tendency  to  lightness  of  jowl.  The  ears 
on  young  pigs  stand  rather  erect,  but  with  age  they  incline  more 
or  less  forward  and  outward.  The  back  is  usually  of  medium 
width,  though  in  recent  years  the  breed  has  been  developed  to 
increased  width  in  this  respect.  Hampshires  do  not  carry  a 

1  Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Herdbook,  Vol.  VIII. 


754  SWINE 

noteworthy  arch  of  back,  as  a  rule,  but  they  are  not  deficient  in 
this  regard.  The  shoulders  generally  are  light  and  well  set  in,  but 
boars  occasionally  are  prominent  in  the  shoulders  and  somewhat 
narrow  at  the  withers.  The  body  as  a  whole  has  only  moderate 
depth  and  length,  producing  a  fair  side  for  bacon,  especially  with 
the  lighter-weight  pigs.  The  hams  lack  somewhat  the  fullness  of 
the  highly  developed  American  breeds,  more  especially  in  the 
lower  thigh.  The  legs  tend  to  be  of  moderate  length,  with  excel- 
lent bone,  and  the  pasterns  23\&feet  are  strongly  carried,  as  might 
be  expected  in  so  active  a  breed.  In  general  appearance  the 
Hampshire  is  a  smooth,  trim  kind  of  pig,  such  as  kills  out  well. 

The  color  of  the  Hampshire,  which  is  its  most  striking  feature, 
is  usually  black,  with  a  white  belt  about  the  body,  this  being 
known  as  a  "  listed  "  color.  This  white  band,  or  belt,  is  from  four 
to  twelve  inches  wide  and  encircles  the  body  just  back  of  and 
about  the  forelegs,  the  latter  also  usually  being  white.  It  is  not  at 
all  uncommon  for  sows  to  farrow  solid-black  pigs  in  a  litter  with 
belted  ones.  The  revised  standard  of  perfection  of  the  Hampshire 
association  objects  to  white  color  running  high  on  the  hind  legs 
or  extending  more  than  one  fourth  the  length  of  the  body.  Solid- 
black  color  is  objectionable,  while  spotted  pigs  or  those  with  more 
than  two  thirds  white  are  disqualified.  In  discussing  the  color 
H.  F.  Work  of  Indiana,  in  a  little  history  of  this  breed  published 
many  years  ago,  wrote  : 

While  the  list  will  long  be  retained  by  many  of  the  breeders  as  the  most 
fashionable  color,  there  are  also  those  who  try  to  run  their  herds  pure  black. 
An  ideal  color  is  made  up  much  as  one  may  fancy,  and  the  "  color  craze  " 
should  not  exclude  worthy  animals  that  are  a  little  "  off  color,"  save  where 
spots  occur.  The  breeding  of  blacks  is  an  absolute  necessity  when  the  listed 
hogs  begin  to  show  too  much  white,  so  as  to  narrow  the  belt. 

A  writer  in  the  Indiana  Farmer  (May  28,  1910),  discussing 
the  color  question,  states  that  he  has  been  breeding  Hampshires 
for  fifteen  years,  raising  from  two  to  three  hundred  a  year,  and 
that  80  per  cent  of  his  pigs  have  good  belts.  Commenting  on  the 
solid-black  color,  he  says  these  cannot  be  sold  for  breeders,  and 
nine  out  of  ten  will  not  buy  if  they  knew  the  pig  —  no  matter  how 
well  belted  —  was  from  black  ancestry.  One  can  hardly  question 
the  good  judgment  of  the  breeder  on  such  a  decision  on  color. 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  755 

The  size  of  the  Hampshire  pig  is  about  medium  among  the 
breeds.  The  standard  size  as  approved  by  the  Hampshire  associa- 
tion is  as  follows  :  boar  two  years  old  and  over,  450  pounds,  sow 
of  same  age  400  pounds ;  boar  eighteen  months  old  350  pounds, 
sow  of  same  age  325  pounds  ;  twelve-months-old  pig  of  either  sex 
300  pounds  ;  six-months-old  pig  of  either  sex  140  pounds.  Among 
the  heavier  weights  reported  for  boars  of  the  breed  are  700  to 
750  pounds.  The  noted  boar  Lookout  Lad  20371  is  said  to  have 
weighed  800  pounds  as  a  senior  yearling. 

The  Hampshire  pig  as  a  grazer  ranks  high.  In  early  days  in 
Kentucky  and  Indiana  the  pigs  of  this  breed  ranged  the  forest 
for  roots  and  were  obliged  in  many  instances  to  "  rustle  "  for  a 
living.  With  the  improvement  of  the  Hampshire  as  developed  in 
the  corn  belt  in  recent  years,  it  has  proved  itself  a  good  grazer  on 
the  pastures  of  clover  or  alfalfa  now  so  common  in  this  region. 

The  Hampshire  as  a  feeder  holds  a  very  good  rank.  As  a  rule 
the  pigs  of  the  breed  make  a  good  accounting  for  the  feed  con- 
sumed, and  no  doubt  will  make  a  favorable  comparison  with  other 
breeds.  There  is  very  little  information  concerning  experimental 
feeding  of  the  Hampshire. 

The  Hampshire  pig  for  early  maturity  is  of  about  average 
rank.  It  probably  will  not  mature  so  rapidly  as  the  Poland-China 
or  Chester  White,  but  is  not  regarded  as  deficient  in  this  respect. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Hampshire  pig  to  a  wide  range  of  con- 
ditions is  well  established.  While  the  breed  is  to-day  recognized 
as  especially  suited  to  the  Middle  West,  it  has  also  a  foothold  in 
a  modest  way  over  much  of  the  United  States  and  to  some  extent 
in  Canada.  With  his  rustling  qualities  so  well  established,  it  is 
reasonable  that  he  should  adjust  himself  to  a  considerable  range 
of  elevation,  temperature,  and  variety  of  food  and  care. 

The  quality  of  Hampshire  pork  is  rated  by  packers  as  superior. 
The  fact  that  pigs  of  Hampshire  breeding  are  popular  with  the 
packers  indicates  their  value  as  killers.  The  carcass  may  be  com- 
pared with  that  of  the  Berkshire  for  relationship  of  lean  to  fat  and 
quality  of  flesh.  Excess  of  fat  is  not  the  rule,  and  the  carcass 
dresses  out  very  well.  In  fact  this  breed,  in  its  leaner  type, 
holds  a  good  position  in  bacon  production.  R.  S.  Sinclair  of 
T.  M.  Sinclair  &  Company,  packers  in  Iowa,  is  credited  by  the 


756 


SWINE 


Hampshire  association  with  stating  that  the  Hampshires  "  are  good 
bacon  hogs  and  cut  the  heaviest  and  best  loin  of  any  hog  that 
passes  through  our  packing-house.  The  Hampshire  has  a  distinct 
advantage  over  all  other  first-class  breeds  of  hogs  in  the  thinness 
of  the  jowls.  This  part  of  the  hog  always  sells  at  a  low  price,  and 
therefore  the  less  of  it  there  is  on  the  carcass,  the  more  it  is  to 
the  advantage  of  the  killer."  Pure-bred  or  grade  Hampshires  have 
made  a  very  fine  showing  in  the  carcass  contests  at  the  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition  on  various  occasions.  In  1911 

the  grand-champion 
carcass  was  a  pure-bred 
Hampshire  shown  by 
J.  Crouch  and  Son 
of  Indiana,  and  the 
grand-champion  car- 
loads of  1918  and 
1919  were  Hamp- 
shires. 

The  crossbred  or 
grade  Hampshire  pig 
is  commonly  seen  in 
Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa, 
and  Ohio  and  other 
parts  of  the  corn  belt. 
The  pure-bred  boars 

on  grade  sows  transmit  their  white  and  black  markings  with  con- 
siderable persistency.  Even  on  pure-bred  sows  of  other  breeds 
this  is  a  dominant  character.  The  special  advantage  of  the  Hamp- 
shire cross  on  the  heavier  lard  type  is  a  more  active,  smoother- 
finished  sort  of  pig,  somewhat  lighter  in  weight  than  with  other 
breeds,  but  killing  out  to  the  advantage  of  the  buyer.  The  black 
and  white  colors  are  not  always  transmitted,  however,  and  instances 
are  found  where  Hampshire  boars  mated  to  Duroc-Jersey  sows 
result  in  a  red  body  and  white  belt.  Perhaps  the  most  desirable 
cross  has  been  with  the  Poland-China  and  Chester  White. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Hampshire  pig  is  one  of  its  important 
features.  It  has  always  been  noted  for  farrowing  litters  of  good 
size,  this  feature  being  emphasized  in  the  writings  of  seventy-five 


FIG.  352.    Rosie's  Hazel  40400,  a  grand-champion 

Hampshire     sow.    Owned    by   J.    Crouch    &    Son, 

La  Fayette,  Indiana.   From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  the  owners 


THE  HAMPSHIRE  757 

years  ago.  The  sows  frequently  farrow  litters  of  ten  or  twelve 
pigs  after  the  first  farrowing  and  make  excellent  mothers  and 
nurses.  In  this  respect  they  rank  with  the  most  prolific  breeds  of 
American  ancestry. 

Prominent  Hampshire  sires  do  not  date  back  for  a  very  ex- 
tended period  of  years.  Among  the  noted  boars  of  the  breed  are 
the  following  :  David  Harum  909,  Lookout  7499,  Lookout  Lad, 
20371,  General  Allen  1061,  Hoosier  Lad  34607,  Messenger 
Boy  6179,  General  Wickware  26879,  Cherokee  Lad  9029,  and 
General  Jones  24453. 

Prices  paid  for  Hampshire  swine  have  kept  within  rather  reason- 
able figures,  with  comparatively  little  speculation.  The  boar  Long- 
fellow 35133,  at  one  time  champion  at  the  International  Live- 
Stock  Exposition,  sold  for  $1000.  In  1915  John  J.  Shaffer,  Jr., 
bought  the  boar  Paulsen's  Model  24423  for  $800.  On  February 
22,  1919,  Seth  T.  Hadley  of  Indiana  held  a  sale,  when  one  sow 
brought  $1030  and  another  $1000,  while  the  first  thirty  sold 
averaged  $330.  Late  in  1919  the  sow  Merry  Look  of  Glenview 
89096  was  sold  by  Zene  Hadley  of  Wilmington,  Ohio,  for  $2150. 

The  distribution  of  the  Hampshire  pig  has  become  widespread 
in  recent  years.  According  to  the  recognized  organ  of  the  breed, 
the  Hampshire  Advocate  (December,  1917),  in  1904  there  were 
but  1 6  owners  of  Hampshires  in  the  world,  while  at  the  close  of 
1917  there  were  over  30,000  owners  of  registered  Hampshire 
sows  in  the  United  States  alone.  The  breed  is  in  the  main  found 
in  the  central  corn-belt  states,  but  there  has  been  a  wide  distribu- 
tion also  in  the  Southern  States.  The  state  of  Iowa  is  credited 
with  1442  persons  that  at  some  time  have  purchased  Hampshires. 
During  1917  the  American  Hampshire  Swine  Record  Association 
registered  32,646  hogs.  The  following  figures  give  the  number 
of  registration  in  the  states  most  actively  breeding  Hampshires  : 
Iowa,  6004;  Illinois,  4860;  Indiana,  4515;  Nebraska,  3410: 
Georgia,  2198;  South  Dakota,  1996;  Alabama,  1581  ;  Missouri, 
1228  ;  Ohio,  873  ;  and  Kansas,  591.  To  show  the  rapid  increase 
of  the  breed  it  is  but  necessary  to  note  that  in  1915  the  secretary 
of  the  association  reported  1 36  persons  in  Pennsylvania  taking  up 
the  breeding  of  Hampshires,  although  in  1911  but  4  pigs  of  the 
breed  'were  registered  in  that  state. 


758  SWINE 

An  organization  to  promote  the  Hampshire  pig  was  incorporated 
by  six  Boone  County  (Kentucky)  farmers  in  1893,  when  they 
formed  the  American  Thin  Rind  Record  Association.  At  this 
time  about  twelve  herds  of  swine  of  this  breed  were  eligible  for 
registration,  mainly  located  in  Kentucky  and  Indiana.  In  1904 
this  association  changed  its  name  to  the  American  Hampshire 
Swine  Record  Association.  This  association  has  had  a  remark- 
able growth,  and  on  January  I,  1920,  numbered  over  one  thousand 
members.  There  are  numerous  state  and  local  Hampshire  swine 
breeders'  associations,  the  more  aggressive  ones  being  in  the 
central  corn-belt  section.  The  American  Hampshire  Breeders' 
Association  publishes  a  monthly  journal,  the  Hampshire  Advocate, 
which  renders  most  excellent  service  in  behalf  of  the  breed.  Up 
to  January  I,  1920,  there  have  been  published  thirteen  volumes  of 
the  herdbook,  including  the  registration  of  nearly  one  hundred 
thousand  boars  and  sows. 


CHAPTER    LXXI 

THE  MULE-FOOT 

The  name  "  Mule-Foot "  is  given  this  breed  for  the  reason 
that  it  has  a  solid  hoof,  suggestive  of  the  narrow  foot  of  the 
mule,  instead  of  the  cloven  one  common  with  swine. 

The  native  home  of  Mule-Foot  swine  is  not  satisfactorily 
established.  Various  claims  have  been  made  on  this  point,  but 
it  is  generally  admitted  that  the  evidence  is  very  superficial.  They 
have  been  bred  in  Sweden  and  Norway  for  a  century  or  more, 
it  is  said,  and  Kreglow  states  1  that  Linnaeus,  the  noted  Swedish 
scientist,  classified  this  type  in  1735.  He  also  states  that  mule- 
foot  swine  were  extensively  bred  in  England  by  Lord  Reagh  as 
far  back  as  about  1810. 

The  introduction  of  Mule-Foot  swine  to  America  is  of  uncertain 
date.  It  is  not  a  native  breed,  and  no  doubt  was  brought  here 
long  ago,  possibly  from  northern  Europe.  J.  H.  Dunlap,  a  noted 
breeder,  has  stated  that  these  hogs  have  been  known  in  America 
for  a  hundred  years2  and  refers  to  the  fact  that  for  many  years 
they  have  been  bred  by  members  of  the  Dunkard  Church,  although 
he  does  not  mention  the  locality.  The  claim  has  also  been  made  that 
these  pigs  were  brought  from  the  South  Sea  Islands  about  1850. 

The  characteristics  of  Mule-Foot  swine,  as  seen  in  the  improved 
form  of  to-day,  suggest  the  Poland-China,  excepting  for  the  ear 
and  single  hoof.  The  head  is  short,  very  nearly  straight  of  face 
or  quite  so,  and  the  ears  are  of  medium  size  and  incline  forward, 
rather  than  stand  erect  or  break  over.  The  general  conforma- 
tion is  typical  of  the  lard  type,  with  a  fairly  wide  back  and  wide, 
deep,  full  ham.  A  slight  arch  of  back  is  sought.  As  already 
noted,  the  hoofs  are  of  one  piece  instead  of  cloven.  The  color  of 
the  Mule-Foot,  including  the  feet,  is  a  pronounced  black,  but 
white  spots  sometimes  occur  and  are  admissible. 

1  C.  G.  Kreglow,  The  Mule-Foot  Hog.   A  pamphlet 

2  American  Agriculturist,  March  10,  1910. 

759 


760  SWINE 

The  size  of  the  Mule-Foot  places  it  in  the  medium  class, 
although  on  the  basis  of  some  claims  it  might  be  regarded  as  a 
large  breed.  Dunlap  states  that  the  Mule-Foot  equals  the  Poland- 
China  and  Duroc-Jersey  in  size,  easily  attaining  weights  from  600 
to  800  pounds,  while  Kreglow  places  the  weight  for  the  sows  at 
400  to  500  pounds  at  maturity,  with  100  pounds  more  for  the 
boar.  "  Some  of  our  brood  sows,"  he  writes,  "  could  be  fattened 
to  weigh  700  and  one  of  our  herd  boars  will  weigh  1000  pounds." 
By  the  standard  a  boar  two  years  old  should  weigh  500  pounds, 
a  sow  of  the  same  age  450,  and  a  twelve-months  boar  or  sow 
300  pounds. 

The  feeding  qualities  of  Mule-Foot  swine  are  said  to  rank  very 
well.  In  recent  years  they  show  much  sign  of  improvement  and 
without  doubt  will  fatten  satisfactorily. 

The  quality  of  meat  of  the  Mule-Foot  ordinarily  shows  superior 
mingling  of  lean  and  fat  and  is  more  comparable  with  the 
Berkshire  than  the  Poland-China.  Dunlap  regards  the  bacon  of 
this  breed  as  an  intermediate  between  the  lard  and  bacon  type. 
In  the  more  improved  form  it  suggests  the  lard  type. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Mule-Foot  swine  is  of  moderate  degree. 
The  average  size  of  two  hundred  litters  reported  by  Kreglow 
was  eight  plus,  and  these  included  ninety-one  gilts  with  their 
first  litters. 

The  prepotency  of  the  Mule-Foot  is  a  pronounced  characteristic. 
Not  only  is  the  general  conformation  and  color  transmitted  but 
in  crossbreeding  it  is  said  that  the  solid  hoof  is  reproduced  to 
"a  remarkable  degree." 

The  immunity  of  Mule-Foot  swine  to  cholera  has  been  claimed 
on  various  occasions,  and  early  in  the  present  century,  prior  to 
1910,  much  publicity  was  given  to  this  statement.  As  a  fair 
sample  of  the  claims  made  in  behalf  of  the  breed,  the  following 
by  R.  G.  Long  is  quoted  : l  "  Mule-Foot  breeders  do  claim  that 
their  hogs  will  not  take  the  cholera  from  being  confined  with 
cholera  infected  hogs,  and  I  believe  that  their  animals  have 
made  good  on  that  claim."  In  1910  J.  H.  Dunlap  published 
this  statement : 2 

1  Ohio  Farmer,  July  8,  1911. 

2  National  Stockman  and  Farmer,  March  3,  1910. 


THE  MULE-FOOT  761 

I  have  a  list  of  two  hundred  and  forty-five  Mule- Foot  breeders  in  twenty- 
five  states,  furnished  me  by  C.  E.  Quinn  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  and  have  written  to  a  great  many  of  them  regarding  the  immunity 
of  the  Mule-Foot  hog.  They  have  all  replied  that  they  have  never  known  a 
full-blood  Mule-Foot  to  die  with  cholera.  Mr.  Quinn  also  wrote  me  that  he  was 
unable  to  learn  of  Mule-Foot  hogs  dying  with  cholera  in  the  thirteen  states 
in  which  he  investigated  the  claim  of  immunity. 

These  statements,  however,  are  not  supported  by  veterinarians, 
and  the  author  is  informed  by  an  official  of  the  Ohio  State  Veteri- 
narians' office  that  in  1914  hog  cholera  was  brought  to  the  Ohio 
State  Fair  by  a  herd  of  Mule-Foot  hogs  exhibited  the  previous 
week  at  the  Forest  City  F'air  at  North  Randall.  It  is  not  regarded 
as  impossible  for  herds  of  these  hogs,  under  certain  conditions, 
to  contract  cholera. 

The  distribution  of  Mule-Foot  swine  is  quite  widespread  at  the 
present  time.  There  are  many  breeders  in  the  corn  belt,  espe- 
cially in  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Messrs.  J.  H.  Dunlap  of  Pickaway 
County,  Ohio,  and  C.  G.  Kreglow  of  Hardin  County  have  long 
been  prominent  improvers  and  active  exhibitors  and  promoters  of 
the  breed  and  have  interested  many  persons  in  establishing  herds. 

The  promotion  of  Mule-Foot  swine  has  been  taken  up  by  two 
registry  associations  —  the  National  Mule- Foot  Association,  organ- 
ized in  1908  at  Indianapolis,  and  the  American  Mule-Foot 
Record  Association,  with  headquarters  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 


CHAPTER  LXXII 

THE  LARGE  BLACK 

The  native  home  of  the  Large  Black  swine  is  in  Somerset, 
Devonshire,  and  Cornwall,  in  southwest  England,  a  region  with 
an  attractive,  mild  climate  and  a  comparatively  short  winter  well 
suited  to  swine  husbandry. 

The  origin  of  the  Large  Black  swine  is  in  keeping  with  the 
local  development  of  other  British  breeds  that  have  been  evolved 
from  the  operations  of  numerous  small  breeders.  Until  recently 
little  was  known  of  it  outside  of  its  own  county,  and  not  much  is 
known  of  its  early  history,  but  in  recent  years  Large  Blacks  have 
grown  rapidly  in  favor  in  England.  Sidney  states  that  the  original 
Devon  pigs  were  valued  according  to  the  length  of  their  bodies, 
ears,  noses,  tail,  and  hair,  the  longer  the  better,  without  reference 
to  quality  or  substance.1  Improvements  began  to  be  made  in  them 
early  in  the  last  century,  and  about  1850  George  Turner,  accord- 
ing to  Sidney,  had  hogs  that  "  are  black  with  short  faces,  thick 
bodies,  small  bone,  and  but  little  hair,  and  exhibit  as  much  good 
breed,  shape,  and  constitution  as  any  tribe  of  pigs  in  the  kingdom." 
Mr.  Ernest  Prentice  states  that  Large  Blacks  have  been  continu- 
ously and  carefully  bred  in  Cornwall  for  upwards  of  fifty  years  by 
R.  S.  Olver  of  Trescowe  and  George  Lucas  of  Leigh  Barton. 

The  introduction  of  the  Large  Black  pig  to  America  is  of  very 
recent  date,  a  number  having  been  brought  to  Kentucky  about  1910. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Large  Black  pig  are  as  follows :  the 
head  is  of  medium  length,  with  straight  face,  and  ears  that  are 
rather  large  and  thin  and  which  incline  well  over  the  face.  Walker 
says  2  they  have  great  overhanging  ears  that  often  considerably  in- 
terfere with  their  vision.  The  body  is  of  good  size,  deep  of  rib, 
rather  of  the  lard  than  bacon  type  and  yet  not  lardy  as  we  regard 
the  fat  hog  in  America.  The  back  is  very  strong,  the  hams  fairly 

1  Samuel  Sidney,  The  Pig.    London,  1860. 

2  John  Walker,  Pigs  for  Profit.    London,  about  1905. 

762 


THE  LARGE  BLACK 


763 


thick,  the  legs  a  bit  long  and  inclined  to  heavy  bone.  Originally 
these  hogs  were  coarse  and  large  of  frame,  but  in  recent  years 
the  quality  has  greatly  improved.  The  color  is  solid  black. 

The  size  of  the  Large  Black  pig  places  it  in  the  class  indicated 
by  its  name  among  British  breeds.  The  standard  of  the  Large 
Black  Pig  Society  gives  no  weights.  Large  Blacks  seen  by  the 
author  in  England,  in  very  good  condition,  at  maturity  approxi- 
mated 500  pounds  for  females,  with  somewhat  heavier  weights 
for  boars.  In  the 
New  Zealand  Farmer 
an  article  on  the  breed 
refers  to  a  farmer 
having  pigs  at  three 
and  one-half  months 
weighing  1 10  pounds. 

The  Large  Black 
pig  as  a  feeder  has 
very  good  rank  and 
makes  excellent  use 
of  its  food.  It  is  said 
that  these  pigs  "pork 
at  any  age,"  which 
means  they  are  good 

feeders  FlG'  3^'    A    Large    Black  boar,   a  winner  at  the 

1904  show  of   the    Royal   Agricultural    Society  of 

The  Large  Black  England.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William 
pig  as  3.  grazer  is  Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhamsted,  England 

regarded  with  special 

favor  in  England,  although  the  British  farmer  knows  little  of 
grazing  swine,  as  understood  by  his  American  cousin.  However, 
Walker  states  that  they  are  great  grazers,  and  that  he  has  seen  them 
roaming  about  the  fields  and  orchards  of  Devon  and  Cornwall, 
where  "  they  appear  to  have  things  their  own  way." 

The  quality  of  meat  of  the  Large  Black  pig  is  very  good,  but 
comparisons  seem  to  favor  the  Berkshire  and  large  Yorkshire. 
Years  ago,  it  is  agreed  by  English  breeders,  the  carcass  was  large 
and  coarse  and  not  of  the  best  class,  but  "  the  great  weight  has 
given  way  to  greater  quality,"  writes  Ernest  Prentice,1  "and  the 

1  Pamphlet  of  the  Large  Black  Pig  Society.    London,  1911. 


764 


SWINE 


Large  Black  now  yields  at  a  very  early  age  the  chief  desideratum, 
namely,  a  long,  deep-sided  carcass,  of  160  to  190  pounds  dead 
weight,  light  in  shoulder,  jowl,  and  offal,  and  showing  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  lean  meat  than  any  other  breed."  Spencer  states  that 
while  making  a  good  grade  of  meat,  the  Large  Black  cannot  be 
regarded  as  the  equal  of  the  leading  British  breeds. 

The  prolificacy  of  the  Large  Black  pig  is  said  to  be  above  aver- 
age in  comparison  with  English  breeds.  They  tend  to  produce 
large  litters,  somewhat  comparable  with  the  Tamworth  and  Large 
Yorkshire.  They  are  reported  as  having  litters  of  from  17  to  18 

pigs,  and  one  sow  in 
New  Zealand,  "typical 
of  the  breed,"  is  re- 
ported as  farrowing 

ijjijftjj  in  her  first  four  litters 

9,  12,  15,  and  18  pigs 
respectively. 

The  popularity  of 
the  Large  Black  pig 
seems  to  be  having  a 
rather  remarkable  de- 
velopment. Compara- 
tively little  known  a 
few  years  ago  and 

scarcely  referred  to  in  the  best  British  works  on  swine,  it  is  to-day 
one  of  the  breeds  that  is  attracting  wide  attention  at  the  impor- 
tant shows  in  England,  and  is  being  bought  for  export  to  a  con- 
siderable extent.  As  substantial  evidence  of  this  public  favor  it 
is  but  necessary  to  record  the  sale  "of  K.  M.  Clark,  in  1918, 
where  a  Large  Black  sow  sold  for  $2275,  and  on  which  occasion 
four  other  animals  were,  struck  off  at  $1575,  $1500,  $1250,  and 
$1000  respectively.  This  was  the  outstanding  swine  sale  in  Great 
Britain  in  a  period  of  high  prices  generally.  Present  indications 
are  that  the  Large  Black  is  to  have  a  great  growth  in  popularity 
in  the  next  few  years. 

The  distribution  of  Large  Black  swine  in  England  is  more 
especially  in  the  south  counties  of  Cornwall,  Devon,  Somerset, 
Essex,  and  Suffolk,  where  numerous  herds  of  merit  are  to  be  found. 


FIG.  354.   A  Large  Black  sow,  a  first-prize  winner 

in  1914  at  the  Royal  Counties  Show,  Portsmouth, 

England.    From  photograph  by  the  author 


THE  LARGE  BLACK  765 

Large  Blacks,  however,  have  been  widely  distributed  in  other 
counties  and  in  many  foreign  countries,  including  Tasmania, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa,  Russia,  Denmark,  Argen- 
tina, Brazil,  Austria,  Germany,  Chili,  Spain,  Italy,  Switzerland, 
and  the  United  States. 

The  promotion  of  the  Large  Black  pig  in  England  is  under  the 
official  direction  of  the  Large  Black  Pig  Society,  organized  in  1 898 
at  the  Smithfield  Show  in  London.  This  society  has  a  large  mem- 
bership and  has  published  up  to  1919  about  twenty  herdbooks, 
registering  a  great  number  of  pigs.  In  1911  a  National  Large 
Black  Pig  Association  was  organized  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  but 
thus  far  it  has  not  been  active  in  claiming  public  attention. 


CHAPTER  LXXIII 

THE  CHESHIRE 

The  native  home  of  the  Cheshire  pig  is  Jefferson  County,  New 
York,  in  the  north-central  part  of  the  state,  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  Lake  Ontario.  The  climate  is  quite  cold  and  rough  in  winter, 
and  the  conditions  as  a  whole  are  not  ideal  for  swine  raising. 

The  origin  of  the  Cheshire  dates  back  to  about  1855.  The 
cause  for  the  use  of  the  name  of  the  breed  is  unknown.  About 
1855  Messrs.  Hungerford  and  Brodie  of  Jefferson  County  imported 
from  England  a  Yorkshire  boar  of  the  large  or  middle  class.  This 
was  used  upon  sows  in  the  county,  and  soon  after  White  Suffolk 
blood  was  mingled  with  the  descendants  of  this  boar.  Early  in  the 
sixties  A.  C.  Clark  of  Belleville  and  S.  P.  Huffslater  of  Watertown 
began  to  show  pigs  of  this  class  at  the  fairs.  Later,  in  1870, 
Mr.  Clark  won  the  Packer's  Prize  of  $500  for  the  best  pen  of  pigs 
exhibited  at  a  fair  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  The  name  "  Cheshire," 
or  "Jefferson  County,"  was  officially  adopted  in  1872  by  the 
Swine  Breeders'  Convention  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  The  evi- 
dence indicates  that  the  breed  is  the  result  of  constant  crossing 
and  breeding  of  Large  Yorkshires  and  White  Suffolks  to  the 
white  pigs  in  Jefferson  County.  In  1876  Colonel  F.  D.  Curtis,  a 
prominent  New  York  live-stock  authority,  wrote  Mr.  F.  D.  Coburn 
that  he  knew  "of  but  one  breeder  of  these  pigs  in  Jefferson  County." 
•Mr.  J.  H.  Sanders  bred  these  pigs  pure  for  about  seven  years  in 
Iowa,  and  wrote  Mr.  Coburn  as  follows : 

I  produced  all  the  different  types  of  the  Yorkshire  from  the  Large  York  down 
to  the  Lancashire  Short-face.  .  .  .  The  type  which  I  finally  succeeded  in  fix- 
ing upon  the  Cheshires,  as  bred  by  me,  was  almost  identical  in  size,  form,  and 
quality  with  the  most  approved  Berkshires.  Indeed,  so  marked  was  this  resem- 
blance in  everything  but  color  that  they  were  often  facetiously  called  "  White 
Berkshires." 

About  1873  E.  W.  Davis  began  to  improve  this  pig  and  added 
much  to  the  permanence  of  type. 

766 


THE  CHESHIRE 


767 


Characteristics  of  the  Cheshire.  This  breed  closely  resembles 
in  form  the  Yorkshire  of  the  middle  class.  The  face  while  dished 
is  not  extremely  so,  and  the  ears,  which  are  small  and  fine,  stand 
erect  or  point  slightly  forward.  The  back  is  wide  and  very  slightly 
arched,  the  Cheshire  scale  of  points  requiring  it  to  be  "  long,  broad, 
and  straight  nearly  to  root  of  tail."  The  body  as  a  whole  has  con- 
siderable length  but  often  lacks  depth.  The  shoulders  and  hams 
are  regarded  as  of  the  thick-fleshed,  well-developed  sort.  The  legs 


FIG.  355.    Eildene  6179,  a  fine  specimen  of  a  Cheshire  sow  owned  by  E.  S.  Hill, 
Freeville,  New  York.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of  Mr.  Hill 

show  considerable  refinement  of  bone,  frequently  to  an  undesirable 
extent.  The  feet  and  pasterns  are  only  moderately  strong.  The 
color  of  the  hair  and  skin  is  white.  Black  spots  may  occur  on  the 
skin  of  pure-breds,  and  while  objectionable  do  not  disqualify.  Both 
skin  and  hair  are  regarded  as  of  superior  quality  by  those  who  are 
familiar  with  the  breed. 

The  size  of  the  Cheshire  pig  is  about  medium,  though  it  has  been 
classed  by  Professor  Shaw  as  the  smallest  of  the  middle-sized 
breeds.  This  is  hardly  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of 
the  Cheshire  Swine  Association.  The  standard  of  excellence  in 


768  SWINE 

Volume  I  of  the  herdbook  states  that  when  grown  and  well 
fattened  the  hogs  should  show  a  dressed  weight  of  from  400 
to  600  pounds.  That  represents  a  heavy-weight  hog.  There 
are  said  to  be  numerous  instances  on  record  of  pigs  dressing 
over  400  pounds  when  nine  months  old.  The  Cheshire  bar- 
rows shown  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  in  1905 
were  a  heavy-weight  lot  and  gave  no  impression  of  being 
of  a  small  breed.  One  of  these  at  eight  and  one-half  months 
weighed  353  pounds.  The  Cheshire  is  said  to  weigh  heavy  for 
its  size.  Mr.  A.  H.  Bates,  once  a  prominent  breeder  of  swine, 
has  the  following  to  say  in  a  letter  which  is  quoted  from  the 
"  Cheshire  Herdbook  "  : 

I  find  that  buyers  are  not  able  to  guess  the  weights  of  Cheshires.  One  lot 
of  thirteen  culls  I  offered  at  325  pounds  each.  The  buyers  thought  they  would 
not  weigh  over  300  pounds.  They  averaged  390  each.  Another  lot  of  twenty 
culls  I  offered  at  150  pounds  average.  They  weighed  185^  pounds  on  the 
average.  I  have  found  it  will  not  do  to  sell  Cheshires  by  guess. 

The  quality  of  Cheshire  meat  ranks  high.  Sanders,  writing  of 
those  he  bred,  stated  that  "  their  meat  was  most  excellent,  tender, 
and  juicy."  Others  have  rendered  similar  testimony.  The  flesh  is 
fine  grained  and,  with  hogs  not  fed  too  much  corn,  is  of  a  desirable 
bacon  type. 

Crossbred  or  grade  Cheshires  are  not  common,  but  are  looked 
upon  with  favor  in  some  localities.  Where  superior  and  prepotent 
boars  are  kept  they  may  be  used  on  common  sows  to  material 
advantage,  securing  a  high  class  of  pork. 

The  Cheshire  as  a  feeder  is  not  well  known.  But  few  have  been 
tried  in  the  great  swine-producing  sections  of  the  country.  Only 
experiment  stations  in  the  Eastern  states  have  fed  Cheshires  ex- 
perimentally. The  Maine  Station  reports  in  1 890  a  comparison  of 
breeds  of  swine,  Cheshires  gaining  daily  1.23  pounds,  Yorkshires 
1.14,  Chester  Whites  1.08,  Poland-Chinas  i.oi,  and  Berkshires  I. 
Two  pigs  of  each'  breed  were  used,  one  of  each  sex,  and  they  were 
fed  from  five  to  eight  weeks.  The  Berkshires  ate  the  least  food  to 
make  a  pound  of  gain,  and  the  Cheshires  the  most.  Experiments 
in  1891  at  the  Maine  Station,  also,  showed  more  food  required  for 
the  growth  of  the  Cheshire  than  for  that  of  other  breeds, 


THE  CHESHIRE  769 

The  fecundity  of  the  Cheshire  is  above  medium,  the  sows  breed- 
ing readily  and  producing  fairly  large  litters,  especially  as  commonly 
fed  in  the  Eastern  states. 

The  Cheshire  as  a  grazer  is  not  well  known,  for  it  has  been  in 
the  main  a  sty-fed  hog.  It  should,  however,  do  well  on  good 
pastures.  Shaw  credits  the  breed  with  fair  grazing  qualities.  The 
fact  that  the  Cheshire  has  never  secured  much  of  a  hold  in  the 
great  swine-producing  sections  of  our  country,  although  introduced 
there,  would  argue  that  it  had  not  satisfactorily  adapted  itself  to 
Western  conditions. 

The  popularity  of  the  Cheshire  is  distinctly  local,  it  being  one 
of  the  least-known  breeds  in  America,  being  rarely  seen  on  the 
market  or  at  agricultural  fairs  west  of  New  York.  The  late 
S.  M.  Shepard,  a  well-known  Western  judge  and  authority  on 
swine,  states  that  following  the  exhibit  of  Clark  at  St.  Louis  in 
1870  the  breed  did  not  gain  much  in  favor  beyond  the  state  of 
its  origin. 

The  distribution  of  the  Cheshire  pig  is  mainly  in  the  eastern 
United  States,  with  New  York  the  leading  state  interested  in  the 
breed.  Herds  are  also  owned  in  the  New  England  states,  Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio,  and  elsewhere,  though  to  but  a  slight  extent. 

The  Cheshire  Swine  Breeders*  Association,  organized  in  1884  in 
New  York  State,  promotes  the  purity  and  welfare  of  this  breed. 
The  association  published  its  first  volume  of  a  herd  record  in 
1889,  since  which  time  five  others  have  been  issued  up  to  and 
including  1919. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV 

THE  SMALL  YORKSHIRE 

The  origin  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  pig,  known  as  the  Small 
White  in  England,  is  obscure.  It  has  been  assumed  that  it  came 
from  Chinese  stock,  though  different  to-day  from  the  early  Chinese 
type.  Charles  Mason  of  Chilton  and  Robert  Colling  of  Darling- 
ton, Yorkshire,  both  Shorthorn  cattle  breeders,  are  the  earliest- 
known  persons  to  have  bred  Small  Yorkshires,  then  termed 
"Chinese."  They  owned  herds  as  early  as  1818,  but  nothing 
is  known  of  the  parent  stock.  Following  this  period  the  breed 
met  with  some  extensive  distribution  in  England  by  Shorthorn 
breeders. 

Some  strains  or  families  of  Small  Whites  early  developed  in 
England.  A  local  breed,  known  as  the  Solway  in  Cumberland, 
assisted  in  the  improvement  of  the  Small  Yorkshire,  although 
this  was  descended  from  the  Mason-Colling  breeding  of  Small 
Whites.  The  Solway  also  played  a  part  in  improving  the  Large 
Yorkshire  as  bred  by  Mr.  Wainman  of  Carhead.  There  existed 
some  twenty-five  or  so  years  ago  a  small  white  pig  known  as  the 
Suffolk,  which  was  essentially  absorbed  by  the  Small  Yorkshire. 
In  Cumberland  was  another  type,  some  larger  than  the  Small 
Yorkshire  but  of  the  same  general  character,  the  blood  of  the 
two  being  freely  mixed.  Still  another  branch,  descended  from 
Mason-Colling  stock,  was  known  as  the  Windsor  breed.  A  more 
modern  and  very  popular  strain  was  developed  by  Lord  Ducic, 
which  really  resulted  from  a  judicious  blending  of  Cumberland 
and  Small  Yorkshire  blood. 

The  introduction  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  pig  to  America  under 
that  name  occurred  many  years  ago.  In  1888  Curtis  wrote  that  it 
was  first  brought  to  this  country  about  1860,  but  did  not  attract 
much  attention.  Colonel  Richard  M.  Hoe  of  New  York  and 
William  H.  Cole  of  New  Jersey  made  importations  in  1872,  1874, 
1875,  1876,  1877,  and  1878,  and  to  these  importations  trace  the 


THE  SMALL  YORKSHIRE  771 

best-known  herds  of  America.  Small  Yorkshires  were  first  ex- 
hibited at  New  York  and  New  Jersey  fairs  in  1875,  while  in  1876 
they  were  extensively  shown  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  at  St.  Louis 
and  also  at  the  Centennial  Exposition  at  Philadelphia. 

The  characteristics  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  are  most  striking. 
This  breed  among  swine  is  the  most  highly  developed  of  any  from 
the  standpoint  of  "  fancy  "  points.  The  head  in  its  most  fashion- 
able form  presents  a  remarkable  development.  The  face  is  very 


FIG.  356.  A  Small  Yorkshire  boar,  first  in  class  at  the  1905  Ohio  State  Fair.  Owned 
and  exhibited  by  George  Ineichen  of  Indiana.    From  photograph  by  the  author 

short  and  broad  and  is  dished  or  curved  to  such  a  degree  in  speci- 
mens as  to  point  the  end  of  the  nose  upward.  The  lower  jaw 
also  is  curved  upward  in  a  marked  degree.  In  this  highly  dished 
face  the  eyes  are  often  obscured  by  rolls  of  fat  about  the  side  of 
the  head.  The  ears  are  short,  fine,  and  erect,  pointing  forward. 
The  jowl  is  naturally  very  round  and  highly  developed.  This 
breed  is  famous  for  great  fat  production  —  the  neck  short  and 
thick,  the  back  very  broad,  short,  and  deeply  laid  with  fat  or 
flesh,  the  tail  set  up  well  on  a  line  with  the  back,  the  hams  and 
shoulders  heavy  and  full  for  the  size,  and  the  bone,  hair,  and 
quality  quite  refined.  The  color  is  entirely  white  except  for  black 
spots  occasionally  occurring  on  the  skin.  In  referring  to  the 
characteristics  of  the  breed  Professor  James  Long  writes  :  "In 


772  SWINE 

breeding  the  Small  White  pig  the  breeder  should  make  it  his  aim  to 
maintain  the  characteristic  points  of  the  variety,  the  chief  of  which 
are  form  (much  in  little),  fineness  of  bone,  quantity  and  quality  of 
hair,  shortness  of  snout,  and  aptitude  to  fatten."  As  a  whole  pigs 
of  this  breed  have  great  breadth  and  depth  for  their  size. 

The  size  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  ranks  it  as  the  smallest  of  the 
breeds  kept  in  this  country.  The  matured  pig  will  usually  weigh  from 
1 80  to  200  pounds,  although  Mr.  Sanders  Spencer  has  had  them 
weigh  nearly  300  pounds  at  fifteen  months  of  age.  Owing  to  the 
very  compact  form  individuals  weigh  more  than  might  be  anticipated. 

The  early-maturing  qualities  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  are  of  a 
high  order,  so  that  the  pigs  may  be  fattened  at  almost  any  stage 
of  development. 

The  Small  Yorkshire  as  a. feeder  is  easily  fattened,  but  does  not 
make  large  gains.  This  has  been  regarded  as  a  superior  sort  for 
making  small  roasting  pigs,  as  the  young  things  finish  off  early 
for  this  purpose.  Some  British  authorities  on  swine  claim  that  pigs 
of  this  breed  can  be  brought  to  excessive  fatness  on  less  food  by 
half  than  any  other  breed.  It  will  not,  however,  increase  as  rapidly 
in  actual  gains  as  the  larger  breeds.  At  the  Vermont  Experiment 
Station  Small  Yorkshires  made  an  average  daily  gain  of  1.04 
pound  live  weight,  having  an  average  weight  of  201  pounds  after 
one  hundred  and  eighty-four  days  of  feeding,  starting  at  23  pounds. 
It  required  353  pounds  of  feed  for  100  pounds  gain,  and  the  car- 
casses dressed  84.1  per  cent.  This  record  somewhat  excelled  that 
of  the  Berkshire. 

The  quality  of  Small  Yorkshire  meat,  while  of  fine  grain  and 
sweet,  is  not  in  favor  to-day  in  Great  Britain,  containing  as  it  does 
a  high  percentage  of  fat.  Mr.  John  Walker,  writing  in  1905  in 
"Pigs  for  Profit,"  says:  "As  far  as  quality  goes  these  pigs  are 
despised  by  the  butcher  because  they  give  such  a  very  small  pro- 
portion of  lean  to  fat  that  the  public  leaves  the  joints  of  pork  on 
the  butcher's  slab,  it  being  so  leanless,  while  the  bacon  curer  will 
have  naught  to  do  with  the  fat  little  animals." 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Small  Yorkshire  pig  is  in  general  an 
improvement  over  the  pure-bred,  if  mated  to  a  larger  breed,  for 
thereby  a  better  grade  of  pork  is  produced  and  a  more  hardy  and 
prolific  stock  results. 


THE  SMALL  YORKSHIRE  773 

The  small  Yorkshire  as  a  grazing  pig  will  do  extremely  well ; 
at  least,  that  is  the  experience  in  England.  Professor  Long  states 
that  when  a  Small  White  pig  is  fit  for  exhibition  it  gets  very  little 
but  grass,  and  that  he  has  repeatedly  seen  fat  pigs  of  this  breed 
which  in  summer  were  entirely  grass- fed. 

The  fecundity  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  is  about  medium,  with  a 
tendency  to  small  litters,  such  as  might  be  expected  from  a  breed 
tending  to  excess  of  fat  development.  The  nursing  females  pro- 
duce but  a  moderate  amount  of  milk. 

The  popularity  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  has  decreased  to  such  an 
extent  that  it  is  but  slightly  bred  to-day  in  England  or  America. 
As  a  breed  it  was  largely  developed  by  fanciers,  often  for  show. 
Its  excessive  fat,  however,  caused  it  to  become  unpopular  in  the 
British  market,  where  a  lean  type  of  bacon  is  most  in  favor. 
About  1913  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England  discon- 
tinued recognition  of  this  breed,  and  it  was  dropped  from  its  prize 
list.  This  is  equivalent  to  the  death  sentence  of  a  breed  in  Great 
Britain.  In  the  United  States  there  are  a  few  herds,  but  they  are 
almost  unknown,  unless  brought  out  for  live-stock  shows. 

The  distribution  of  the  Small  Yorkshire  is  mainly  in  England 
and  the  United  States,  in  small  herds  and  in  a  limited  degree,  as 
has  been  indicated.  They  are  mainly  located  in  the  eastern  United 
States,  notably  in  New  York,  Massachusetts,  and  Pennsylvania,  with 
a  few  small  herds  in  the  Middle  West  and  on  the  Pacific  slope. 

The  promotion  of  Small  Yorkshire  Swine  in  America  was  first 
brought  about  by  the  organization  in  New  York  City,  in  1878,  of 
The  American  Small  Yorkshire  Club.  This  club,  which  has  long 
been  defunct,  registered  about  fifteen  hundred  pigs  in  the  first  two 
and  only  volumes  of  the  herdbook  issued.  The  American  York- 
shire Club,  organized  in  1893,  with  headquarters  in  Minnesota, 
registers  this  breed  in  the  "American  Yorkshire  Record,"  of 
which  five  volumes  have  been  published.  In  the  herdbooks  of 
this  club  the  Small  Yorkshires  are  registered  in  a  group  by  them- 
selves, as  Class  A,  the  Large  Yorkshires  being  in  Class  B.  Only 
a  few  hundred  of  the  Small  Yorkshires  have  been  registered  in 
this  club,  these  being  mainly  in  the  Western  states.  There  is  also 
what  is  known  as  the  United  States  Small  Yorkshire  Association, 
with  headquarters  in  Michigan. 


CHAPTER  LXXV 

THE  ESSEX 

The  native  home  of  the  Essex  pig  is  in  the  county  of  Essex  in 
eastern  England,  lying  just  northeast  of  London.  The  land  is 
level  or  rolling  and  the  climate  temperate  and  moist. 

The  early  native  type  of  Essex  pig  is  said  to  have  been  of 
mixed  color,  black  and  white,  with  white  shoulders,  nose,  and 
legs.  It  was  roach-backed,  flat-ribbed,  had  long  legs,  a  sharp 
head,  was  coarse  in  bone,  was  a  large  feeder,  and  had  a  nervous 
disposition. 

The  improvement  of  the  Essex  pig  was  first  secured  by  Lord 
Western,  formerly  an  Essex  squire,  who,  when  in  Italy  in  1830, 
purchased  a  pair  of  black  Neapolitans,  male  and  female,  and 
brought  them  to  England.  The  Neapolitan  was  then  crossed 
upon  some  well-selected  pigs  such  as  were  common  in  Essex, 
with  most  satisfactory  results.  It  is  also  thought  that  Black 
Suffolk  and  Berkshire  blood  was  used.  The  white  coloring  was 
entirely  removed  and  a  black  Essex-Neapolitan  pig  of  improved 
form  resulted,  with  shorter  heads  and  legs,  more  quality,  and 
fattening  much  more  readily.  These  improved  pigs  were  very 
popular  for  a  time.  They  were  inbred,  however,  at  least  in  Lord 
Western's  hands,  and  became  of  enfeebled  constitution,  lacking 
in  fecundity  and  in  size. 

The  establishment  of  the  Improved  Essex  breed  was  accom- 
plished by  Mr.  Fisher  Hobbes  of  Boxted  Lodge,  a  tenant  of 
Lord  Western.  Even  prior  to  1840  he  began  to  use  Essex- 
Neapolitan  boars  on  hardy,  high-class  Essex  sows.-  By  careful 
selection  and  mating  he  developed  what  became  famous  as  the 
Improved  Essex  breed.  Lord  Western  died  in  1844,  and  on  his 
death  Hobbes  purchased  his  best  breeding  sows.  This  improved 
form  had  more  size  and  constitution  than  the  original  Essex- 
Neapolitan,  and  for  more  than  twenty  years  this  was  maintained 
by  selection  from  three  distinct  families.  In  1840  Mr,  Hobbes 

774 


THE  ESSEX 


775 


received  first  prizes  on  a  boar  and  sow  at  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  Show  at  Cambridge,  which  gave  the  breed  much  fame. 
Since  the  time  of  Mr.  Hobbes  this  breed  has  become  distributed 
in  England,  especially  in  Suffolk  County,  adjoining  Essex,  where 
the  leading  breeders  reside.  In  England  to-day  the  Essex  is 
generally  known  as  the  Small  Black  breed  or  Black  Suffolk. 

The  introduction  of  the  Essex  pig  to  America  dates  back  to 
early  in  the  last  century.  The  old-fashioned  type  of  Essex,  it  is 
thought,  was  owned  about  1820  in  Massachusetts,  John  Prince 
having  a  crossbred 
sow,  part  Essex,  part 
Chinese.  In  1839 
Henry  Parsons  of 
Canada  imported  and 
kept  Essex  pigs  near 
Massillon,  Ohio.  In 
1886  S.  M.  Shepard 
wrote  that  of  recent 
years  a  number  of  im- 
portations had  been 
made  and  a  few  herds 
kept  in  New  York, 
Michigan,  Wisconsin, 
Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
and  a  few  other  states.  One  of  the  extensive  breeders  and 
importers  of  twenty-five  years  ago  was  William  Smith  of  Michigan. 

Characteristics  of  the  Essex  pig.  This  breed  has  certain  very 
distinguishing  features.  The  color  is  entirely  black.  The  head 
is  rather  short,  the  face  is  slightly  dished,  the  forehead  is  broad, 
and  the  ears  are  small,  fine,  and  carried  erect.  The  jowl  is 
rather  broad  and  full.  The  neck  is  short,  the  back  very  broad 
and  somewhat  short  and  strongly  carried,  while  the  sides  are  deep 
and  short.  The  shoulders  are  well  laid  and  thickly  fleshed,  and 
the  hams  are  thick  and  deep  and  of  superior  merit.  The  legs, 
which  tend  to  be  rather  short,  show  bone  of  fine  quality.  Inform 
the  Essex  is  distinctly  of  the  thick-fleshed,  fat,  chunky  sort,  and 
perhaps  no  breed  in  England  has  been  fattened  to  so  high  a 
degree.  There  is  also  criticism  of  enfeebled  constitution. 


FIG.  357.  An  Essex  boar  owned  by  Charles  Lafferty, 

Little  Valley,  New  York.    From  photograph,  by 

courtesy  of  Mr.  Lafferty 


776  SWINE 

The  size  of  the  Essex  pig  is  small  compared  with  the  Poland- 
China  or  Berkshire,  ranking  among  the  smaller  breeds.  In  1860 
Samuel  Sidney  wrote  that  "  with  age  they  attain  considerable 
weight  and  often  make  500  pounds  at  twenty-four  months  old." 
Sidney  states  that  the  Emperor,  a  boar  bred  by  Fisher  Hobbes,  is 
2  feet  8^  inches  high  at  the  shoulder  and  6  feet  I  inch  long. 
Mr.  F.  D.  Coburn  quotes  William  Smith,  an  extensive  breeder 
of  the  Essex  in  Michigan,  that  these  pigs  often  reach  a  weight  of 
400  to  500  pounds.  Dr.  Chase  of  Kansas  places  their  weight, 
under  ordinary  treatment,  when  full  grown  at  250  to  275  pounds. 

The  Essex  as  feeders  rank  high  in  combining  early  maturity 
with  great  flesh  production.  The  capacity  of  the  breed  to  lay  on 
flesh  has  not  been  placed  on  record  by  American  investigators, 
but  it  has  long  been  famous  as  a  profitable  feeding  kind,  although 
producing  a  fatter  pork  than  is  at  present  in  favor  abroad.  The 
temperament  of  the  Essex  is  very  docile,  which  naturally  promotes 
easy  as  well  as  profitable  feeding. 

The  quality  of  Essex  meat  is  fine  and  of  excellent  flavor,  but 
a  large  per  cent  of  fat  to  lean  meat  prevails  unless  care  is  exer- 
cised in  the  kind  of  foods  fed.  Mr.  J.  A.  Smith  of  Ipswich, 
England,  who  breeds  and  shows  the  Essex,  is  quoted  by  Professor 
Long  as  saying  that  "one  objection  which  is  urged  against  the 
breed  is  their  tendency  to  produce  an  undue  proportion  of  fat, 
consumers  complaining  that  the  bacon  is  not  sufficiently  streaky." 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Essex  pig  may  be  of  considerable  com- 
parative value.  A  half  century  ago  it  is  said  that  the  Berkshire 
breed  was  much  improved  by  Essex  blood.  In  fact  Essex  blood, 
as  improved  by  Lord  Western  and  Fisher  Hobbes,  is  said  to 
have  been  responsible  for  much  of  the  improvement  through 
crossing  or  grading  in  the  herds  of  England.  It  is  a  well- 
established  fact  that  the  Essex  used  on  the  coarser,  rougher 
type  imparts  quality  and  early  maturity. 

The  fecundity  of  the  Essex  pig  became  impaired  by  its  exces- 
sive development  in  fat  production,  a  criticism  made  against  the 
breed  years  ago.  Mr.  Smith,  already  quoted,  says  that  his  pigs, 
when  properly  managed,  are  very  prolific,  fifteen  or  sixteen  being 
frequently  in  a  litter,  although  ten  to  eleven  is  a  fair  number. 
The  breed,  however,  does  not  stand  high  in  this  respect,  being 


THE  ESSEX  777 

ranked  below  the  Berkshire.  As  nurses  the  Essex  sows  are 
regarded  as  simply  medium,  not  as  a  rule  yielding  an  abundance 
of  milk.  The  fecundity  of  individuals  and  their  capacity  to  nurse 
their  young  will  depend  in  a  measure  on  the  character  of  food  fed 
and  condition  of  body. 

The  maturing  qualities  of  the  Essex  are  noteworthy,  the  breed 
having  been  famous  for  early  maturity  since  the  improvement 
first  effected  by  Lord  Western.  Feeders  easily  mature  at  six 
months,  though  of  course  they  represent  a  small  type  of  pig. 

The  popularity  of  the  Essex  breed  of  swine  is  at  a  low  ebb,  and 
at  the  present  time,  in  America,  it  is  kept  in  a  small  way  by  very 
few  breeders,  largely  for  showing  at  fairs.  Sanders  Spencer  states : l 

Suffolks,  Essex,  or  Small  Blacks,  as  they  are  usually  called,  have  well  nigh 
become  a  breed  of  the  past ;  these  .  .  .  had  become  reduced  in  size,  as  was  the 
proportion  of  lean  meat  in  the  carcass,  so  that  the  prize-winning  specimens 
were  merely  animated  black  bladders  of  lard,  very  comely  to  look  upon,  but  of 
comparatively  little  value  for  farm  purposes. 

W.  J.  Maiden,  another  English  authority,  states2  that  the  Essex 
is  losing  favor  year  by  year,  for  the  reason  that  it  has  too  large 
a  per  cent  of  fat,  a  delicate  constitution,  and  an  inaptitude  to 
"  grow  into  money." 

The  distribution  of  Essex  pigs  is  quite  widespread.  They  are 
found  in  England  in  a  small  way  in  various  counties,  notably  in 
Essex  and  Suffolk.  They  have  also  been  exported  to  France  and 
other  European  countries  and  to  Canada  and  Australia.  In  the 
United  States  a  few  herds  have  been  kept  in  Michigan,  Indiana, 
Texas,  Nebraska,  Alabama,  Ohio,  and  elsewhere.  The  breed  has 
met  with  favor  in  the  South,  and  an  Ohio  breeder  informs  the  author 
that  he  has  a  strong  demand  for  his  pigs  from  that  section. 

The  promotion  of  Essex  swine  in  America  has  been  supervised 
by  the  American  Essex  Swine  Association,  which  w^s  organized  in 
1887.  This  has  always  been  a  small  association,  and  in  recent  years 
has  been  little  in  evidence.  So  far  as  the  author  can  learn,  but  two 
volumes  of  the  herdbook  have  been  published,  the  last  one  appearing 
in  1893,  with  registrations  numbering  up  to  537  for  boars  and  982 
for  sows.  In  England  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association  has 
officially  represented  the  breed  under  the  title  "  Small  Black." 

1  Pigs  for  Breeders  and  Feeders,  1907.     2  Pigs  for  Profit,  1905. 


CHAPTER  LXXVI 

THE  BACON  TYPE  OF  PIG 

The  general  characteristics  of  the  bacon  pig  as  compared  with 
the  so-called  lard  hog  are  as  follows  :  back  not  broad,  head  some- 
what long,  side  long  and  deep,  a  smoother  shoulder,  lighter  ham, 
and  somewhat  longer  leg.  When  in  good  condition  there  is  much 
less  depth  of  fat  than  with  the  lard  type.  The  muscles  are  evident 
in  a  greater  degree  than  with  the  other  type.  In  motion  the  bacon 
pig  is  animated  and  free  of  action,  showing  lively  temperament. 

The  head  varies  rather  according  to  breed.  Excessive  length 
is  undesirable,  but  the  Tamworth  often  has  a  very  long  head. 
A  medium  length  of  nose  and  face  is  preferred,  while  a  broad 
forehead,  with  ample  width  between  the  eyes,  which  should  be  of 
good  size  and  easily  seen,  denotes  a  mild  disposition.  A  deep  head 
with  strong  lower  jaw  is  preferred. 

Ears  of  a  fine  quality,  not  large,  thick,  and  coarse,  but  of  mod- 
erate thickness,  covered  with  silky  hair,  attached  neatly  well  up 
on  the  head,  and  actively  carried  are  desirable. 

The  neck  tends  to  be  a  bit  long,  but  a  medium  length  is  sought, 
with  not  too  much  width,  blending  nicely  with  head  and  shoulders. 
The  jowl  lacks  the  extreme  fullness  found  in  the  lard  hog  and  is 
free  from  wrinkles  such  as  often  occur  with  the  heavy  jowl.  This 
part  bacon-pig  buyers  regard  as  of  little  importance. 

The  shoulders  lie  well  into  the  body  and  do  not  bulge  out 
prominently.  They  should  have  considerable  width  and  depth, 
with  a  neat,  .smooth,  not  too  deep  covering  of  flesh.  A  good 
specimen  of  this  type  never  has  prominent  shoulders.  Some  extra 
thickness  of  skin  and  heaviness*  is  expected  with  boars,  but  no 
notable  heaviness. 

The  forelegs  should  be  well  placed,  coming  down  true,  either 
viewed  from  front  or  side,  the  knees  not  "  knocking  in  "  and  the 
toes  turning  out  but  with  the  pasterns  being  strongly  carried,  and 
the  pig  standing  up  in  shapely  form  on  the  toes.  A  fine,  hard 

'  778 


THE  BACON  TYPE  OF  PIG 


779 


bone  is  very  important,  as  evidenced  by  clean-cut  limbs  and  smooth 
joints,  lacking  coarseness  and  meatiness.  A  smooth,  clean,  hard 
bone  is  evidence  of  quality  and  is  associated  with  the  better  sort 
of  dressing  out  in  killing. 

The  chest  may  be  compared  to  that  of  the  race  horse.  It  should 
be  deep  and  full,  yet  not  too  broad.  As  one  looks  at  the  front  of 
the  pig  the  breast  and  brisket  appear  full  and  not  peaked.  Viewed 


FIG.  358.    A  shoulder  and    ham  view  of   the  bacon   type    of   pig,  showing  the 

smooth  shoulder  and  neatly  tapering  ham.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

Professor  G.  E.  Day 

from  one  side  the  brisket  projects  slightly  beyond  the  legs.    A 
hidden,  retreating  brisket  indicates  a  poor  constitution. 

The  back  should  be  carried  level  and  show  no  sag,  and  the  width 
should  be  uniformly  maintained  from  shoulder  to  ham.  A  strong, 
nicely  arched  loin,  as  wide  as  any  point  of  the  back  and  smoothly 
fleshed,  is  important.  A  thickness  of  one  and  one-quarter  to  one 
and  one-half  inch  of  fat  along  the  back  is  regarded  as  best  on 
the  finished  pig.  The  back  of  this  type  has  a  moderately  arched  rib, 
not  flat,  giving  a  body  capacity  in  harmony  with  the  best  feeder. 


780  SWINE 

The  sides  are  a  most  important  part,  because  from  here  comes 
the  bacon  so  highly  valued  in  this  class.  The  sides  must  be  long, 
evenly  carried  from  shoulder  to  ham,  be  thick  and  full  at  flank, 
and  of  moderate  depth.  A  very  deep  side  of  a  paunchy  character 
provides  too  much  belly  or  cheap  meat.  Breeders  of  bacon  hogs, 
however,  place  a  premium  on  brood  sows  of  great  length  and 
depth,  for  these  features  are  associated  with  high-class  breeding 
and  feeding  capacity.  The  side  must  be  quite  smooth  and  free  of 
wrinkles  and  be  covered  evenly  with  flesh.  In  touching  on  this 
subject  the  Ingersoll  Packing  Company  of  Canada  says  :  "  The 
packer  calls  for  the  long,  lean  pigs,  as  they  are  the  ones  that  suit 
best  and  are  most  difficult  to  procure ;  this  is  the  only  kind  that 
will  furnish  the  desired  '  Wiltshire  side,'  and  it  will  also  make  any 
of  the  other  cuts  the  market  calls  for." 

The  rump  and  hams  lack  the  heavy  development  of  the  lard 
type,  but  a  level,  long,  moderately  broad  rump  is  important.  The 
hams  in  their  lower  parts  should  be  long,  gradually  tapering,  not 
necessarily  split  up  high  between,  with  shallow,  neatly  turned 
twist.  They  should  also  be  broad  from  front  to  rear,  with  a 
medium  thick  covering  of  flesh,  tapering  to  the  hocks. 

The  hind  legs  should  have  all  the  merits  of  the  forelegs  in 
bone,  quality,  and  smoothness,  and  in  position  of  pasterns  and 
toes.  Besides  this  the  hocks  should  be  well  placed,  being  smooth 
of  joint  and  neither  close  nor  wide  behind. 

The  quality  of  the  bacon  pig  is  most  important.  This  is  seen 
in  the  clean,  smooth  bone  and  joints  and  the  abundant  hair,  lack- 
ing in  coarseness,  lying  close  to  the  mellow  skin.  Wrinkles  should 
be  lacking,  and  the  entire  body  be  smooth  and  evenly  covered 
with  flesh  in  breeding  as  well  as  in  feeding  stock. 

The  weight  of  bacon  pigs  most  acceptable  in  the  market  is  from 
170  to  1 80  pounds,  although  200  is  not  excessive.  Danish  bacon 
pigs  range  from  180  to  220  pounds.  The  larger  type  is  not 
approved  in  Canada,  the  smaller  being  preferred. 

Breeding  bacon  pigs  should  show  the  characteristics  associated 
with  sex,  but  in  general  the  above  description  applies  to  the  bacon 
type.  The  boar  should  have  a  strong,  masculine  head,  neck,  and 
shoulder,  the  sow  a  smaller,  more  refined  sort,  with  more  depth 
of  belly  than  possessed  by  boar  or  barrow. 


THE  BACON  TYPE  OF  PIG  781 

The  demand  for  the  bacon  pig  in  America  has  not  been  very 
active.  Only  in  recent  years,  perhaps  since  the  beginning  of  the 
twentieth  century,  has  the  American  swine  producer  had  his  atten- 
tion directed  to  this  type  of  pig.  The  British  market  demands 
superior  bacon,  and  a  call  for  such  meat  is  growing  in  America. 
Denmark,  Ireland,  and  Canada  furnish  most  of  the  bacon  con- 
sumed in  England  and  Scotland.  This  bacon  shows  a  liberal  mix- 
ture of  lean  with  fat  and  suits  the  foreign  trade  much  better  than 
the  fatter,  thicker-fleshed  type  produced  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
In  spite  of  the  British  demand  for  high-class  bacon,  neither  the 
American  pork  producer  nor  the  packer  has  seriously  considered 
bacon  production  of  this  kind.  Without  question,  however,  our 
people  are  consuming  greatly  increased  amounts  of  bacon,  and  the 
demand  is  steadily  growing  for  a  high-class  article.  The  future  will 
no  doubt  show  more  serious  interest  in  this  type  of  pig  in  America, 
with  a  resulting  improvement  in  production  of  breeding  stock. 


CHAPTER  LXXVII 

THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE 

The  ancestry  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  clearly  goes  back  ovei  a 
century.  Swine  from  time  immemorial  have  been  known  in 
England,  and  a  large,  coarse,  leggy,  narrow-backed,  white  hog 
was  common  in  early  days  in  that  country.  In  1789  George  Culley 
referred  to  what  is  no  doubt  parent  stock  of  the  breed,  as  follows  : 

There  was  a  breed  of  large  white  pigs  with  very  large  ears  hanging  over 
their  eyes,  which  a  few  years  ago  were  very  common  in  many  parts  of  Yorkshire 
and  Lancashire.  They  were  very  plain,  thin,  awkward  hogs,  with  very  long 
legs,  but  what  distinguished  them  more  were  two  wattles  or  dugs,  not  unlike 
the  teats  of  a  cow's  udder,  which  hung  down  from  their  throats  on  each  side. 

Early  in  the  nineteenth  century  Dickson  wrote  that  the  old  York- 
shire breed  was  the  worst  of  the  large  sort,  being  long  legged  and 
weak  loined,  with  a  constitution  not  of  the  soundest  kind.  These 
were,  however,  he  writes,  being  improved  by  Berkshire  stock.  In 
1842  Low  wrote  as  follows  :  "  In  Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire,  Norfolk, 
and  generally  in  the  eastern  counties  there  are  breeds  of  large  size, 
of  a  white  color,  and  with  pendent  ears.  These  breeds  have  been 
cultivated  with  more  or  less  care,  and  have  all  been  affected  in 
their  form  and  characters  by  crossing."  The  white  pigs  of  Cum- 
berland County  were  also  closely  related  to  those  of  Yorkshire 
and  were  much  intermixed. 

This  old  type  of  Yorkshire  had  a  strong  coat  of  white  hair,  some 
blackish  or  bluish  skin  spots  covered  with  white  hair,  a  large,  long 
head,  big  ears,  and  strong  bone.  It  was  slow  of  maturity  and  was 
fed  up  to  over  eight  hundred  pounds. 

The  modernizing  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  began  about  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century.  Sidney  credits  the  first  correct 
movement  to  improve  by  using  white  Leicesters  on  old  York- 
shires. These  Leicesters  were  large,  with  smaller  heads  than  the 
Yorkshire,  had  erect  ears,  were  fine  of  hair  and  light  of  bone  com- 
pared with  the  others.  This  cross  was  improved  by  breeding  the 

782 


THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE  783 

largest  and  best  young  sows  to  Small  Yorkshire  boars  of  great 
fattening  capacity.  The  improvement  thus  effected  mainly  took 
place  sixty  or  so  years  ago  about  the  cities  of  Leeds,  Keighley, 
and  Skipton  in  the  county  of  York,  and  to  a  considerable  extent 
by  factory  hands  and  laborers.  In  1851  Joseph  Tuley,  a  weaver 
of  Keighley,  exhibited  a  pig  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Show  at 
Windsor  that  attracted  great  attention,  and  later  his  strain  of 
Large  Yorkshires  was  very  popular,  and  his  pigs  sold  at  high 


FIG.  359.  Holywell  Royalty  II,  a  fine  example  of  a  Large  Yorkshire  boar.  Bred 
and  owned  by  Sanders  Spencer,  St.  Ives,  England.  From  photograph,  by  courtesy 

of  Mr.  Spencer 

prices.  At  this  time  the  pig  breeders  of  Yorkshire  and  Cumber- 
land kept  pedigrees  of  their  pigs,  which  they  printed.  The  agri- 
cultural societies  of  the  region  offered  prizes  to  promote  the  breed, 
and  there  was  keen  competition  in  the  show  ring.  The  various 
towns  had  agricultural  societies  and  shows.  Regarding  these 
Sidney  wrote  as  follows  : 

At  these  shows  there  is  often  a  row  of  twenty  or  thirty  fat  pigs,  worth 
from  £6  to  £  1 2  each,  all  as  white  as  soap  and  water  can  make  them,  stretched 
on  beds  of  clean  straw,  with  wrappers  of  some  kind  to  protect  them  from  the 
sun  or  rain,  contending  for  the  first  prize,  £4 ;  second  prize,  ^3  ;  third  prize, 
^2;  fourth  prize,  £i. 


784  SWINE 

At  this  time  Yorkshire  was  credited  with  being  in  the  first  rank 
as  a  pig-breeding  county,  having  the  largest  white  breed  in  England 
and  the  largest  hogs  in  the  world. 

The  early  improvers  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  may  perhaps  date 
from  Mr.  Tuley,  as  has  been  indicated.  From  a  sow  Matchless  and 
a  boar  Sampson  of  his  breeding  came  some  of  his  best  stock. 
Mr.  W.  B.  Wainman  of  Carhead,  Yorkshire,  used  hogs  of  Tuley 
blood  and  added  to  the  merits  of  the  breed,  for  he  produced  stock 


FIG.  360.    Roger  (7203),  first-prize  and  champion  Large  Yorkshire  boar  and  winner 

of  the  Berkshire  Society  gold  medal  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England 

Show,  1904.   Owned  by  the  Earl  of  Ellesmere.    From  photograph,  by  courtesy  of 

William  Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhampstead,  England 

of  much  quality  and  sent  them  to  various  parts  of  the  world.  In 
his  herd  selected  pigs  by  careful  feeding  would  attain  a  weight  of 
about  five  hundred  pounds  in  twelve  months.  Besides  Tuley  and 
Wainman  numerous  others  have  long  bred  and  improved  this 
breed,  notably  Sanders  Spencer  of  St.  Ives,  Huntingdon  County, 
who  for  a  half  century  was  a  most  distinguished  breeder. 

The  introduction  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  to  the  United  States 
occurred  prior  to  1840,  and  in  1841  a  pair  was  imported  by 
A.  B.  Allen  and  brought  to  Ohio.  Undoubtedly  specimens  of 
this  breed  have  been  brought  to  America  from  time  to  time  for 
over  a  century.  In  1893  Wilcox  and  Liggett  of  Minnesota  im- 
ported some  of  the  more  modern  type,  and  from  this  and  Canadian 


THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE 


785 


stock  have  come  most  of  the  present  Large  Yorkshire  stock  in 
this  country.  The  people  of  Canada  have  been  breeding  York- 
shires for  many  years,  and  the  most  important  herds  in  America 
are  in  that  country. 

The  important  characteristics  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  are  as 
follows :  the  head  is  medium  long  and  should  have  but  little  up- 
ward curve.  Some  prefer  a  lengthy  head,  but  modern  ideas  object 
to  too  much  extension.  A  broad,  strong  under  jaw  is  desired. 


FIG.  361.  Large  Yorkshire  brood  sows  owned  by  Chivers  &  Sons,  Histon,  England. 
These  are  very  large  sows  of  much  excellence.   From  photograph  by  the  author 

The  ears  tend  to  be  heavy  and  droop  forward.  They  should 
be  fine,  of  medium  size,  and  be  carried  well  upward  but  pointing 
forward  slightly.  Loppy  ears  are  objectionable. 

The  body  should  have  considerable  length.  The  back  is  not 
broad  like  that  of  the  Poland-China,  but  should  be  of  fair  and 
uniform  width  with  considerable  depth,  the  sides  being  long 
and  deep  at  the  flanks  and  full  between  shoulder  and  hip.  From 
the  American  point  of  view  this  breed  tends  to  have  a  weak  loin 
and  too  narrow  a  back. 

The  hams  are  not  expected  to  be  extremely  fat  and  heavy, 
but  should  be  of  good  size  and  thickness,  with  the  thighs  well 
carried  down.  Thin  thighs  and  cow  hocks  are  very  common 
with  this  type  of  hog  but  are  not  admired  by  critics. 


;86  SWINE 

The  legs  should  be  of  medium  length  with  good  bone.  The 
tendency  is  towards  an  undesirably  long  leg,  whereas  its  length 
at  maturity  should  not  exceed  the  depth  of  body.  It  is  also 
important  that  the  legs  come  down  straight  and  be  free  of  kneeing 
or  hocking-in. 

The  color  of  the  hair  should  be  white  on  every  part  of  the 
body.  Bluish  or  blackish  spots  occur  occasionally  on  the  skin 
under  this  white  hair,  and,  while  objected  to  by  fanciers,  do  not 
affect  purity  of  breeding,  neither  do  they  disqualify  registration. 
The  skin  should  be  pink  and  healthy.  White  pigs  in  America, 
especially  in  the  sunny  West  and  South,  tend  to  scurfiness  of  skin 
and  sun  scald,  which  causes  them  to  be  more  or  less  unpopular. 

The  type  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  pig  fashionable  in  the  show 
yard,  says  Sanders  Spencer,1  varies. 

The  chief  points  to  be  caught  are  length  and  depth  of  body,  thickness  of 
flank,  length  of  hind  quarters  and  squareness  of  hams,  lightness  of  fore  quarters, 
the  head  being  generally  of  fair  length,  lightness  in  the  jowl,  and  width  between 
the  eyes.  The  bone  and  skin  should  be  firm  and  the  hair  straight  and  silky. 

Although  there  have  been  the  usual  variations  in  the  type  and  form  of  the 
Large  White  pig  of  the  day,  the  general  character  of  the  pig  of  the  breed 
which  was  most  in  demand  by  practical  men  is  still  preferred  by  the  bacon- 
curer  and  the  purveyor  of  pork.  Among  the  changes  noticed  during  the  last 
thirty  years  was  the  reversion  for  a  brief  period  to  the  thick,  compact  type, 
after  some  dissatisfaction  had  been  created  by  the  cultivation  of  length  of  head 
and  leg  and  strength  of  bone.  A  number  of  Large  Yorkshires  of  this  latter 
type  were  exported  to  the  United  States  some  twenty-five  years  ago,  with 
results  most  unfortunate  to  the  breed. 

The  size  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  places  this  breed  in  the  first 
rank.  Long  writes  of  a  Wainman  sow  that  weighed  1 203  pounds. 
In  1901  several  sows  of  the  breed  were  exhibited  at  the  Inter- 
national Live-Stock  Exposition  which  weighed  over  1000  pounds 
each.  Mr.  Spencer,  in  reply  to  a  letter  from  Professor  Long,  says : 

The  Large  Whites  reach,  in  the  heaviest  animals,  12  stone  (168  pounds)  at 
six  months  old;  at  nine  months,  20  stone  to  25  stone  (280-350  pounds);  at 
twelve  months,  30  stone  (420  pounds) ;  and  at  eighteen  months,  45  stone  (630 
pounds).  .  .  .  Sampson  VI,  a  boar  bred  and  exhibited  by  myself,  and  winner  at 
the  Royal  two  years  in  succession,  weighed,  alive,  9|  hundredweight  (1092 
pounds)  at  twenty-three  months,  and  was  light  in  bone  and  carried  but  little  offal. 

1  Country  Gentleman,  November  23,  1912. 


THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE  787 

While  the  market  demand  for  breeding  stock  is  for  good-sized 
animals  at  maturity,  excessive  weight  is  undesirable.  A  boar  in 
moderate  flesh  that  weighs  700  pounds  would  be  very  acceptable, 
while  600  pounds  for  a  sow  in  breeding  condition  would  meet 
with  most  requirements.  There  are  now  comparatively  few  of  this 
very  large,  coarse  type  of  pig. 

Early  maturity  with  the  Large  Yorkshire  is  not  a  characteristic 
feature.  The  pigs  grow  well,  but  do  not  fatten  and  mature  after  the 
manner  of  the  lard  type  of  pigs.  The  Yorkshire  keeps  growing 
when  other  breeds  fatten  and  finish.  So  far  as  weight  is  concerned, 


FIG.  362.  A  pure-bred  Large  Yorkshire  barrow  about  six  months  old,  one  of 
the  champion  pen  of  the  breed  in  1905  at  the  International  Live-Stock  Expo- 
sition, Chicago.  Bred  and  exhibited  by  Ohio  State  University.  From  photograph 

by  the  author 

of  pigs  of  several  breeds  farrowed  at  the  same  date  and  carried 
along  under  similar  conditions  for  six  months,  the  Yorkshire  will 
very  likely  weigh  decidedly  the  most.  Feeders  in  the  corn  belt,  used 
to  pigs  that  will  finish  off  in  eight  months,  find  the  Large  York- 
shire slow  to  mature.  In  fact,  having  a  leaner  inheritance,  it  cannot 
be  expected  to  fatten  and  mature  in  the  manner  of  the  lard  hog. 

Large  Yorkshire  crossbreds  are  a  very  superior  type.  The 
Yorkshire  boar  bred  to  either  Poland-China  or  Berkshire  sows 
produces  most  excellent  feeders.  In  experiments  conducted  by 
the  author  with  this  combination  the  pigs  grew  rapidly,  fed 
extremely  well,  finished  off  smoothly,  and  produced  the  best  sort 
of  meat.  At  the  International  Live-Stock  Exposition  there  have 


;88  SWINE 

been  shown  model  porkers,  the  progeny  of  Yorkshire  boars,  out 
of  lard-type  sows.  In  numerous  crossbreds  examined  the  interest- 
ing fact  has  been  brought  out  that  the  white  color  of  the  York- 
shire is  almost  invariably  dominant.  This  demonstrates  the 
prepotency  and  fixity  of  character  of  the  breed.  The  use  of 
Large  Yorkshire  boars  on  our  typical  American  sows  should  not 
only  give  larger  and  better  frames  but  produce  most  desirable 
feeders  and  also  increase  the  size  of  litters  and  thus  improve  the 
defective  fecundity  of  many  sows. 

The  reputation  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  as  a  bacon  producer 
is  of  the  first  class.  For  many  years  it  has  been  the  standard 
British  breed  used  in  bacon  production.  Further,  Large  York- 
shire boars  on  common  sows  have  sired  a  large  percentage  of 
the  British  bacon  stock.  In  placing  the  Irish  bacon  industry  on 
a  substantial  basis,  Large  Yorkshires  were  relied  upon  to  furnish 
the  type  of  carcass  most  desired.  Considerable  numbers  of  boars 
and  sows  of  this  breed  have  been  exported  from  England  to 
Denmark  and  Sweden.  Bacon  production  is  one  of  the  great 
industries  of  Denmark,  and  here  the  Large  Yorkshire  boar  is 
extensively  crossed  on  ordinary  Danish  sows.  Canadian  packing 
establishments  also  not  only  advocate  the  Yorkshire  as  a  high- 
class  bacon  breed  but  they  have  furthermore  taken  an  active 
part  in  placing  pure-bred  boars  among  farmers  engaged  in  supply- 
ing them  with  hogs.  Some  years  ago  W.  H.  Fisher,  prominent 
as  a  breeder  of  Large  Yorkshires,  addressed  letters  to  a  number 
of  American  packers  for  their  opinions  on  the  merits  of  Yorkshire 
bacon.  Armour  &  Company  replied  : 

Within  the  last  four  or  five  years  we  have  not  been  able  to  produce  sufficient 
prime  bacon  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  our  customers.  This  coupled  with  the 
high  standard  of  prices  of  the  past  few  years  would  justify  the  breeders  and 
feeders  of  Yorkshire  hogs  to  increase  their  output.  Another  encouragement 
is  the  constant  demand  for  hogs  of  the  bacon  type  throughout  the  year ;  other 
types  are  wanted  at  periods,  but  well-fed  bacon  hogs  can  be  sold  at  a  premium 
any  time  they  are  placed  in  the  market. 

John  Morrell  &  Company  of  Liverpool,  England,  but  having  a 
packing-house  in  Iowa,  wrote  as  follows  : 

We  have  for  years  distributed  Yorkshire  boars  within  the  limits  of  our 
territory,  and  we  pay  a  premium  of  twenty-five  cents  per  hundred  pounds 


THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE  789 

for  pure  Yorkshires  or  good  grades.  Our  reason  for  doing  this  is  that  it  is 
the  recognized  type  of  hog  for  making  English  meat  and  the  best  grade  of 
American  breakfast  bacon. 

The  Large  Yorkshires  as  killers  dress  out  only  just  fair. 
Sanders  Spencer  credits  the  breed  with  dressing  76  to  82  per 
cent.  At  the  Ontario  Provincial  Winter  Fair  in  1901  the  aver- 
age percentage  of  dressed  weight  of  the  Yorkshire  carcass  was 
78.4.  It  is  well  established  that  the  older  and  fatter  hog  dresses 
out  the  heaviest  per  cent  of  carcass  to  offal.  Within  the  breed 
the  percentage  of  dressing  will  depend  on  the  degree  of  fatness, 
and  inasmuch  as  bacon  hogs  never  carry  so  great  an  amount  of 
fat  as  do  those  of  the  lard  type,  one  should  not  expect  them  to 
dress  equally  high.  There  are  comparatively  few  records  of  carcass 
contests  in  which  Large  Yorkshires  have  participated. 

The  Large  Yorkshires  as  feeders  have  not  given  equal  satisfac- 
tion in  America.  They  tend  to  grow,  rather  than  fatten,  as  the  corn- 
belt  farmer  desires ;  and  while  they  will  attain  plenty  of  weight, 
they  will  not  feed  off  to  an  early  finish  along  with  a  Poland- 
China  or  Chester  White.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  so  many  farmers 
have  discontinued  feeding  Large  Yorkshires.  They  want  what 
they  regard  as  an  easier  feeder,  quite  losing  sight  of  the  purpose 
for  which  this  breed  is  best  adapted.  Professor  G.  E.  Day  is  a 
recognized  Canadian  authority  on  bacon  production,  and  he  states  : 1 

From  a  bacon  curer's  standpoint,  Large  Yorkshires  will  reach  desirable  market 
weight  and  condition  at  as  early  an  age  as  any  existing  breed,  and  there  are  few 
breeds  that  will  equal  them  in  this  respect.  .  .  .  From  the  fact  that  it  grows 
rapidly  and  develops  bone  and  muscle  more  rapidly  than  it  forms  fat,  feeders  are 
inclined  to  regard  the  Large  Yorkshire  as  an  expensive  hog  to  feed ;  but  experi- 
ments go  to  show  that  such  is  not  the  case,  and  that,  under  most  circumstances, 
it  is  capable  of  giving  as  large  gains  for  feed  consumed  as  any  other  breed. 

Corn  exclusively  is  not  recommended  for  this  breed,  but  when 
fed  good  grain  mixtures,  such  as  corn,  oats,  and  middlings,  satis- 
factory results  follow. 

The  Yorkshire  as  a  grazer  is  of  secondary  importance.  In 
those  countries  where  this  breed  is  common,  grazing  of  swine  is 
rarely  practiced.  These  pigs,  however,  will  do  very  well  on  pasture 
as  provided  by  the  American  feeder. 

1  Productive  Swine  Husbandry  (1913),  p.  94. 


790  SWINE 

The  Large  Yorkshire  as  a  prolific  breed  stands  in  the  front 
rank.  The  females  from  very  early  days  have  been  noted  for  pro- 
ducing large  litters.  Long  refers  to  a  sow  of  Wainman  breeding 
that  reared  153  pigs  in  13  litters,  while  one  of  her  daughters 
raised  33  pigs  in  3  litters.  Richard  Gibson,  formerly  a  prominent 
Canadian  breeder,  owned  an  imported  sow  that  produced  96  pigs 
in  three  years  without  the  least  apparent  injury  to  her  constitution. 
James  Howard,  long  an  English  Yorkshire  breeder  of  prominence, 
prefers  sows  of  this  breed  to  have  twelve  teats  and  emphasizes  the 


FIG.  363.  Holywell  Rosador,  a  Middle  White  boar,  first  prize  in  1899  at  the  Royal 
Counties  Show  and  at  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Scotland  Show. 
Bred  and  exhibited  by  Saunders  Spencer,  St.  Ives,  England.  From  photograph 

by  the  author 

importance  of  her  being  a  good  milker.  In  the  herd  of  the  Ohio 
State  University  17  sows  in  38  litters  farrowed  436  pigs,  an  aver- 
age of  1 1 .47  to  the  litter.  There  were  but  6  litters  of  less  than 
10  each,  while  the  largest  litter  in  the  38  was  18. 

The  popularity  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  in  the  United  States  is 
quite  restricted,  and  the  breed  during  the  years  has  not  grown 
much  in  favor.  Among  those  breeding  Large  Yorkshires  are  very 
few  who  have  given  much  publicity  to  their  operations.  Without 
question  this  is  a  breed  of  distinct  merit  in  bacon  production  and 
in  farrowing  large  litters.  Its  slow  fattening  character,  its  usual 
lean,  long,  narrow,  leggy  type,  and  its  white  color  furnish  more  or 
less  of  the  objection  of  the  Western  pork  producer.  However,  in 


THE  LARGE  YORKSHIRE  791 

view  of  the  great  increase  in  the  use  of  bacon,  it  is  surprising  that 
more  people  have  not  taken  up  the  Large  Yorkshire  for  its  produc- 
tion. If  good-sized  hogs  of  the  right  type  were  selected,  no  doubt 
the  breed  would  steadily  grow  in  popular  favor,  as,  indeed,  it  should. 
It  may  be  classed  as  one  of  the  world's  great  breeds  of  swine. 

The  distribution  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  is  very  widespread.  It 
is  the  leading  breed  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Canada,  and 
Denmark,  and  has  had  a  wide  distribution  in  continental  Europe. 
Sanders  Spencer  has  exported  them  from  England  to  forty-six 
different  countries,  embracing  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  Australia,  and 
North" and  South  America.  In  the  United  States,  Yorkshires  are 
bred  to  a  limited  extent  in  Ohio,  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
New  York,  and  elsewhere.  In  recent  years  important  herds  have 
been  established  in  Ohio. 

The  American  Yorkshire  Club  was  organized  in  1893  for  the 
promotion  of  the  breed.  The  official  headquarters  have  long 
been  in  Minnesota.  Up  to  January  I,  1920,  five  herdbooks  had 
been  published,  in  which  were  also  registered  a  small  number  of 
Middle  and  Small  Yorkshires,  these  being  grouped  as  Class  A 
and  the  Large  Yorkshires  as  Class  B.  In  Canada  these  pigs  are 
recorded  in  the  Canadian  Swine  Breeders'  Record,  published  by 
the  government.  In  Volume  XXIX,  for  1918,  the  registration  of 
Large  Yorkshires  concludes  with  the  grand-total  number  62747. 
In  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales,  Yorkshires  are  recorded 
by  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association. 

Middle  Whites,  as  they  are  known  in  Great  Britain,  represent 
a  special  type  of  Yorkshire.  They  have  a  shorter,  wider,  and  more 
dished  face,  a  broader  back,  heavier  shoulders  and  hams,  and  com- 
monly carry  more  fat  or  condition  than  does  the  true  type  of  Large 
Yorkshire.  Middle  Whites  may  come  from  Large  Yorkshire  litters, 
being  selections  of  the  correct  form,  or  they  may  result  from  cross- 
ing the  small  type  of  Yorkshire  boars  on  large  sows.  The  Middle 
White  is  recognized  as  a  breed  in  Britain  though  not  in  America. 
A  distinct  tendency  exists  among  Yorkshire  breeders  in  the  United 
States  to  breed  along  the  Middle  White  type,  and  without  doubt 
many  such  pigs  are  registered  in  the  American  herdbook.  With 
no  other  breed  of  swine  exhibited  at  American  shows  is  it  so  essen- 
tial for  the  judge  to  draw  a  sharp  line  of  discrimination  on  type. 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII 

THE  TAMWORTH 

The  native  home  of  the  Tamworth  is  the  counties  of  Stafford, 
Leicester,  Northampton,  and  Warwick  in  central  England,  but 
notably  in  Stafford.  This  is  generally  a  rolling  but  not  very  hilly 
region,  with  a  temperate,  moist  climate.  The  name  of  the  breed 
is  taken  from  the  town  of  Tamworth,  located  partly  in  Stafford- 
shire and  partly  in  Warwickshire.  Sidney,  in  1871,  says,  "the 
Staffordshire  breed  is  the  *  Tamworth.' ' 

The  ancestry  of  the  Tamworth  pig  is  obscure.  Tradition  and 
history  refer  to  a  pig  of  Tamworth  type  existing  early  in  the  last 
century.  Most  writers  on  the  pig  say  but  little  of  this  breed,  and 
we  know  almost  nothing  of  its  early  development.  Spencer  states 
that  this  is  one  of  the  oldest  English  varieties,  which  fed  in  large 
droves  on  oak  and  beech  mast  in  the  forests  of  the  midland  coun- 
ties even  before  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  In  an  address  before  a 
breeders'  association  at  Detroit  in  1899,  Mr-  E.  N.  Ball  stated 
that  the  breed  was  introduced  into  England  from  Ireland  by  Sir 
Robert  Peel  about  1812,  but  the  author  has  found  no  evidence 
elsewhere  to  support  this  statement. 

The  early  type  of  Tamworth  was  long  of  leg  and  snout,  narrow 
of  back,  and  shallow  of  body,  slow  to  mature,  very  active  and 
hardy,  and  usually  of  a  sandy  or  reddish  color. 

The  improvement  of  the  Tamworth  came  with  the  conversion 
of  England  into  a  cultivated  region,  when  farmers  wanted  a  less 
active  type  of  pig.  The  opinion  seems  to  prevail  that  this  breed 
was  mainly  improved  by  selection,  the  breeders  seeking  to  secure 
a  quieter  type,  fattening  more  rapidly  than  of  old  and  yet  retain- 
ing the  characteristic  color.  In  1886  Mr.  F.  C.  Fidgeon  of  Tam- 
worth, England,  who  had  a  considerable  knowledge  of  the  breed, 
informed  Professor  Long  that  in  the  nearly  sixty  years  he  had 
known  the  Tamworth  he  had  never  noticed  so  great  a  change  as 
from  about  1880  to  1886. 

792 


THE  TAMWORTH 


793 


A  generation  ago  [he  says]  they  were  a  lean  pig,  of  a  very  dark  red  color, 
which  never  varied  in  shade  and  were  provided  with  a  very  long  snout.  Of 
late  the  color  has  altered  in  shade,  having  become  a  sandy  or  lighter  red,  a 
point  which  is  apparently  growing  in  favor,  although  I  question  very  much 
whether  this  color  is  as  pure  as  the  original  dark  red,  for  I  believe  it  has  been 
obtained  by  a  not  very  distant  cross  with  a  white  pig. 

Spencer  has  also  suggested  the  white  cross  and  Neapolitan  cross. 
For  years  the  breed  was  almost  unnoticed.  In  comparatively 
recent  years  it  has  received  renewed  attention  for  its  bacon  value. 


FIG.  364.  A  Tamworth  boar,  winner  of  first  prize  in  class  at  the  1904  show  of  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England.  Exhibited  by  Robert  Ibbotson.  From 
photograph,  by  courtesy  of  William  Cooper  &  Nephews,  Berkhampstead,  England 

In  1847  a  Tamworth  sow  won  first  honors  at  the  show  of  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  but  the  breed  was  not 
given  a  special  class  recognition  until  1885.  At  the  1914  Royal 
Show  there  were  entered  42  exhibits  of  Tamworths,  as  compared 
with  132  of  Large  Yorkshires. 

The  introduction  of  the  Tamworth  to  America  is  generally 
credited  to  Mr.  Thomas  Bennett  of  Rossville,  Illinois,  who  im- 
ported some  pure-bred  pigs  in  1882.  Professor  Shaw  states  that 
since  1888  large  numbers  have  been  introduced  into  Canada.  Most 
of  the  importations  to  the  United  States  have  been  from  Canada. 

Characteristics  of  the  Tamworth.  The  color  is  red,  varying  in 
shade  from  light  to  dark,  "a  golden  red  hair  on  a  flesh-colored 


794  SWINE 

skin  free  from  black  "  being  preferred.  In  form  the  Tamworth 
is  large,  lean  in  type,  and  long  in  head,  body,  and  leg.  The  head 
is  a  very  striking  feature,  being  notably  long,  inclined  to  be  narrow, 
and  with  a  large  snout,  which  is  usually  straight.  The  National 
Pig  Breeders'  Association  standard  of  excellence  specifies  that  the 
snout  should  be  "  moderately  long  and  quite  straight,"  with  the 
11  face  slightly  dished "  and  "  wide  between  ears."  The  ears 
should  be  rather  large,  but  not  coarse,  and  should  stand  erect  or 
lean  but  slightly  forward,  not  breaking  over.  It  is  not  uncommon 
to  see  Tamworths  with  coarse,  long  heads  and  large,  heavy,  poorly 
carried  ears,  and  these  make  an  unpleasant  impression  on  the 
beholder.  The  modern  type  of  Tamworth  is  free  of  all  coarseness 
of  head.  The  back  and  loin  tend  to  be  narrow,  but  show  consider- 
able length.  It  is  important  that  the  sides  be  long  and  deep, 
though  too  frequently  they  lack  in  the  latter  respect,  as  based  on 
American  standards.  It  is  highly  important  that  the  shoulders  be 
fine  and  deeply  laid  in,  and  the  hams  "  broad  and  full,  well  let 
down  to  the  hocks,"  yet  without  the  roundness  or  plumpness  of 
the  lard  type.  The  legs  should  be  strong,  neat,  not  too  long,  and 
be  "  set  well  outside  of  the  body."  In  judging  Tamworths  emphasis 
should  be  placed  on  smoothness,  trimness,  firm  flesh,  and  quality. 
In  temperament  individuals  of  this  breed  are  usually  very  active, 
almost  to  the  point  of  restlessness,  although  the  disposition  is 
mild.  The  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association  of  Great  Britain 
lists  the  following  as  objectionable  points  in  the  Tamworth: 
11  Black  hair,  very  light  or  ginger  hair,  curly  coat,  coarse  mane, 
black  spots  on  skin,  slouch  or  drooping  ears,  short  or  turned  up 
snout,  heavy  shoulders,  wrinkled  skin,  inbent  knees,  and  hollow- 
ness  back  of  shoulders." 

The  size  of  the  Tamworth  classes  it  among  the  large  breeds 
of  swine.  The  average  mature  boar  will  probably  weigh  about 
600  pounds,  with  sows  approximating  450  pounds.  Boars  have 
been  exhibited  in  recent  years  at  American  fairs  that  are  said  to 
have  weighed  up  toward  1000  pounds.  The  Buffalo  Review 
(August  17,  1899)  refers  to  a  Tamworth  boar  in  England,  under 
three  years  of  age,  which  alive  weighed  1607  pounds  and 
dressed  1330  pounds.  Such  a  weight  as  this 'last  is  open  to 
question  and  is  given  here  simply  as  evidence  of  the  reputed 


THE  TAMWORTH  795 

large  size  of  the  Tamworth.  At  six  months  of  age,  pigs  should 
weigh  about  175  pounds,  and  300  pounds  at  twelve  months. 

The  Tamworth  as  a  bacon  pig  ranks  very  high.  The  claim  is 
made  that  owing  to  dissatisfaction  with  the  fat  quality  of  bacon 
produced  in  the  average  pig  in  England  along  in  the  early  eighties, 
the  Tamworth  came  to  the  front  to  supply  the  necessary  lean 
meat.  The  sides  are  long  and  (in  good  specimens)  deep  and  have 
a  superior  admixture  of  lean  and  fat  of  highly  acceptable  quality. 
Professor  Day  states1  that  "the  Tamworth  produces  bacon  of 
exceptionally  fine  quality,  well  mixed  with  lean,  and  fine  in  the 
grain." 

The  maturing  quality  of  the  Tamworth  is  inferior,  probably  be- 
ing less  forward  in  development  than  any  other  breed  in  America. 
While  growth  is  constantly  made,  an  early-finished,  matured  prod- 
uct does  not  usually  obtain.  However,  some  British  feeders  have 
argued  that  the  Tamworth  will  mature  early.  Mr.  G.  M.  Allen- 
der,  long  a  famous  British  breeder,  says :  "  I  find  that  the  Tarn- 
worths  feed  early,  and  I  have  hams  now  hanging  which  exceed 
20  pounds  each  in  weight,  smoked  and  dried,  although  they 
were  cut  from  pigs  which  were  only  twenty-seven  weeks  old." 
This  hardly  seems  credible.  Mitchell  Brothers  of  Birmingham, 
who  won  first  prize  at  the  Birmingham  Fat-Stock  Show  in  1884, 
informed  Professor  Long  that  the  Tamworths  they  exhibited  were 
only  five  and  one-half  months  old  and  weighed  12  score  per  pig, 
or  240  pounds.  These  pigs  were  from  a  sow  twelve  months  old  at 
farrowing.  Professor  G.  E.  Day  specifies  that  for  a  bacon  carcass 
fit  for  export  the  Tamworth  will  mature  at  as  early  an  age  as  any 
other  breed.  This  will  not  apply,  however,  where  fat  production 
is  involved. 

The  feeding  quality  of  the  Tamworth  is  fairly  good,  the  pig 
making  considerable  growth  for  the  food  fed.  Mr.  E.  N.  Ball  of 
Michigan  reports  on  3  pigs  about  sixteen  weeks  old,  which  during 
ninety-seven  days  gained  a  total  of  340  pounds  from  1224  pounds 
of  grain,  or  100  pounds  of  gain  for  360  pounds  of  feed.  Rommel, 
of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  averaging  the 
results  of  feeding  six  breeds  as  brought  out  in  representative 
tests  by  experiment  stations,  shows  that  in  sixteen  tests  involving 

1  Productive  Swine  Husbandry  (1913),  p.  101. 


796  SWINE 

92  Tamworths  it  required  344  pounds  of  feed  for  100  pounds  gain 
live  weight,  less  than  was  required  for  any  other  breed.  In  the 
Iowa  feeding  trials  on  breeds  three  experiments  were  conducted, 
showing  daily  gains  for  Tamworths  of  1.77  and  1.05  pounds 
•respectively,  the  average  cost  per  pound  of  gain  being  2.42  cents, 
ranking  fifth  in  cost  of  production  among  the  breeds.  The  Iowa 
experiments  also  showed  that  the  Tamworths  dressed  out  in  carcass 
very  well,  the  average  being  78.46  per  cent  for  14  pigs,  comparing 
creditably  with  five  other  breeds  and  surpassing  three  of  them. 


FIG.  365.  Springbrook  Nell,  a  successful  prize-winning  Tamworth  sow  at  many 
state  fairs.  Owned  by  W.  W.  Morton,  Russellville,  Kentucky.  From  photograph 

by  the  author 

At  the  Ontario  Agricultural  College,  in  comparisons  of  six  breeds, 
covering  five  years  of  feeding,  390.17  pounds  meal  were  required 
for  100  pounds  gain,  this  being  the  best  showing  made  by  any  breed 
but  the  Berkshire. 

The  crossbred  or  grade  Tamworth  has  considerable  merit.  Tam- 
worth boars  on  .Berkshire  sows  are  a  favorite  cross  with  some 
feeders  in  England.  When  bacon  curers  complained  of  Berkshires 
fattening'  too  heavily,  the  Tamworth  cross  was  resorted  to  with  de- 
sirable results.  Long  reports  that  the  Messrs.  Mitchell  during  two 
years  bred  and  fed  300  pigs,  all  by  Tamworth  boars  from  Berk- 
shire and  Yorkshire  sows  that  averaged  200  to  240  pounds  weight 
under  nine  months  old.  Tamworth  boars  bred  on  the  fat  type  of 


THE  TAMWORTH  797 

American  sows  will  produce  a  very  attractive,  easy-feeding,  highly 
marketable  porker.  A  Champaign  County  (Ohio)  farmer,  K.  S. 
Hawk,  produced  feeding  shoats  with  much  success,  using  a  Tarn- 
worth  boar  on  grade  Duroc-Jersey  sows.  In  January  he  shipped 
forty-six  April,  May,  and  June  pigs  that  averaged  318  pounds  and 
brought  $6.80  straight  at  Cleveland,  13  cents  over  the  general 
market.  The  Tamworth,  being  very  prepotent,  sires  offspring 
uniformly  red  in  color  and,  when  mated  with  the  lard-type  female, 
produces  a  very  neat  and  attractive  killer  that  dresses  out  well. 

The  fecundity  of  the  Tamworth  is  a  striking  feature  of  the 
breed.  Mr.  Fidgeon  reports  his  sows  as  usually  bringing  from  ten 
to  fifteen  pigs  at  a  litter.  It  is  generally  conceded  in  Britain  that 
the  Tamworth  is  unsurpassed  for  fecundity  and  size  of  litter.  One 
of  the  quoted  objections  to  the  breed  in  England  was  that  it  was 
too  prolific,  the  sows  bringing  50  per  cent  too  many  young  ones. 
Professor  H.  M.  Cottrell  writes  :l 

The  two  strongest  characteristics  of  the  Tamworth  are  lean  meat  and  large 
litters.  For  two  years  on  the  agricultural  college  (Colorado)  farm,  the  average  for 
all  sows  was  10  live  pigs  to  a  litter.  A  two-year-old  sow,  weighing  750  pounds, 
had  1 8  live  pigs  at  one  farrowing.  Fully  matured  sows,  well  cared  for,  can 
produce  two  litters  a  year.  A  Tamworth  sow  at  the  Iowa  Agricultural  College 
raised  33  pigs  in  one  year. 

It  is  this  highly  important  quality  of  fecundity  which  has  furnished 
important  arguments  for  Tamworth  breeders  in  behalf  of  the  breed. 
The  sows  make  excellent  mothers  and,  as  might  be  expected  in 
this  type,  produce  an  abundance  of  milk. 

The  Tamworth  as  a  grazer  ranks  very  high.  While  not  used  as 
a  grazing  pig  in  its  native  home,  in  the  United  States  it  has  proved 
very  satisfactory  in  this  respect.  The  pigs  are  hardy  and  naturally 
adapt  themselves  to  clover  or  rape  or  any  other  pasture  suited  to 
swine.  Day  states  2  that  the  Tamworth,  like  the  Large  Yorkshire, 
"  is  probably  rather  better  adapted  to  pen  feeding  than  to  pastur- 
ing "  ;  however,  these  hogs  have  grazed  well  at  several  experi- 
mental farms  in  the  United  States.  The  late  Professor  John  A. 
Craig  states3  that  the  Tamworth  holds  first  rank  in  this  respect. 

1  Indiana  Farmer,  July  4,  1908. 

2  Productive  Swine  Husbandry  (1913),  p.  100. 

3  National  Swine  Magazine,  July,  1909. 


798  SWINE 

Too  frequently  it  is  this  excellent  quality  of  the  breed  that  induces  growers 
to  choose  them  in  preference  to  others  on  the  supposition  that  during  the  busy 
summer  season,  when  the  work  of  cultivating  and  harvesting  the  crops  is 
crowding  all  hands  on  the  farm,  they  will  take  care  of  themselves  and  grow 
just  as  good  as  ever. 

Criticisms  of  the  Tamworth.  Several  characteristics  of  the 
Tamworth  have  caused  unfavorable  comment  in  America.  The 
long  head,  narrow  back,  short  ribs,  and  long  legs  are  not  looked 
upon  with  favor  by  American  breeders.  They  will  not  accept  the 
Tamworth,  regarding  it  as  an  unprofitable  feeder  and  an  undesir- 
able type.  However,  if  one  will  select  the  more  approved  type, 
with  good  depth  of  body,  long  smooth  sides,  and  superior  quality, 
such  as  has  been  produced  to  a  fair  degree  in  recent  years,  this  criti- 
cism will  not  hold  good.  There  has  been  a  tendency  to  be  unfair 
in  criticism  of  the  Tamworth,  which  the  author  feels  convinced 
is  based  on  old  rather  than  on  new  standards.  It  is  the  heavy- 
headed,  long-legged,  rough  sort  that  has  caused  this  criticism.  If 
buyers  will  be  discriminating  they  will  have  no  difficulty  to-day  in 
securing  a  class  of  Tamworths  that  in  good  hands  should  do  well. 
The  present-day  bacon  demand  justifies  the  use  of  the  breed. 

The  distribution  of  the  Tamworth  is  very  limited.  The  breed 
is  kept  in  a  small  way  in  England,  and  the  same  applies  to  Canada 
and  the  United  States.  Specimens  are  not  shown  in  great  num- 
bers at  the  important  stock  shows  of  England  or  in  this  country. 
The  principal  herds  in  America  are  found  in  Ontario,  Canada, 
and  in  the  United  States,  more  especially  in  Kentucky,  Iowa, 
Illinois,  Kansas,  Texas,  Wisconsin,  and  Ohio. 

Organizations  to  promote  Tamworths  exist  in  England  in  the 
authority  of  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association  of  Great 
Britain  and,  in  America,  in  the  American  Tamworth  Swine 
Record  Association,  the  latter  being  organized  in  Michigan  in 
1897.  The  American  association  up  to  1919  has  published  four 
small  herd  records.  The  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Association 
of  Canada  also  registers  this  breed  under  government  supervision. 


INDEX 


Aaggie  family,  373 

Aberdeen-Angus  bullock,  crossbred  or 
grade,  292 

Aberdeen-Angus  cattle,  279;  character- 
istics, 284;  color,  285;  distribution, 
299;  earliest  improvers,  280;  fami- 
lies, 293;  introduction  to  America, 
283;  maturing  qualities,  287;  as  milk 
producers,  288;  native  home,  279; 
organizations  promoting,  299  ;  origin, 
279;  prices,  297;  as  producers  of 
beef,  289;  prolificacy,  288;  weight, 
286 

Aberdeen- Angus  steers,  prices,  298 

Action,  of  Clydesdale,  137;  of  draft 
horse,  94 ;  of  heavy  harness  horse, 
67;  of  light  harness  horse,  43;  of 
Shire,  153 

Adaptability,  of  American  Merino,  505 ; 
of  Berkshire,  698 ;  of  Brown  Swiss, 
468 ;  of  Chester  White,  744 ;  of  De- 
laine Merino,  518;  of  Duroc- Jersey, 
715;  of  Hampshire  pig,  755;  of 
Holstein-Friesian,  365;  of  Jersey, 
330;  of  Poland-China,  728;  of 
Shorthorn,  239;  of  Southdown,  547 

Adney,  George,  554 

Advanced  Registry  of  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  396 ;  of  Ayr- 
shire Breeders'  Association,  417;  of- 
ficial testing  of  Holstein-Friesians 
for,  367;  requirements  for  Holstein- 
Friesians  in,  367 

African  Wild  Ass,  182 

Age  attained  by  milch  goats,  680 

Aguirre  Merinos,  491 

Amalgamation  of  Suffolk  and  Norfolk 
Red  Polled  cattle,  452 

America,  Clydesdales  of  merit  in,  144; 
demand  for  bacon  pig  in,  781 ; 
distribution  of  jacks  and  jennets  in, 
191 ;  early  foundation  improvers  of 
Merino  in,  497 ;  early  use  of  trotter 
in,  44;  first  Clydesdales  brought  to, 
138;  first  Shorthorns  imported  to, 
224;  history  of  Suffolk  horse  in, 
161 ;  importation  of  milch  goats  to, 
681 ;  importation  of  Shires  to,  152; 


noted  jacks  in,  189;  popularity  of 
Devon  in,  479;  present-day  recog- 
nition of  Arab  horse  in,  14;  use  of 
Shetland  pony  in,  178 

America,  introduction  to,  of  Angora 
goat,  667;  of  Arab  horse,  10;  of 
Ayrshire,  414;  of  Belgian  horse, 
124;  of  Berkshire,  693;  of  Black- 
faced  Highland,  652  ;  of  Brown  Swiss, 
464;  of  Cleveland  Bay,  85;  of 
Devon,  475;  of  Dexter,  442  ;  of  Dor- 
set Horn,  587;  of  Dutch  Belted, 
428;  of  Essex,  775;  of  Galloway, 
302 ;  of  German  coach  horse,  82 ;  of 
Guernsey,  389 ;  of  Hackney,  72 ;  of 
Hampshire  Down  sheep,  578;  of 
Hampshire  pig,  751;  of  Hereford, 
256;  of  Holstein-Friesian,  358;  of 
jack;  1 88;  of  Jersey,  327;  of  Kara- 
kul, 660;  of  Kerry,  438;  of  Large 
Black,  762;  of  Leicester,  620;  of 
Lincoln,  637;  of  Mule-Foot,  759; 
of  Oxford  Down,  568;  of  Red 
Polled,  452;  of  Small  Yorkshire, 
770;  of  Southdown,  540;  of  Suffolk 
sheep,  607;  of  Tamworth,  793;  of 
Tunis,  613;  of  West  Highland,  311 

American  French  Coach  studbook,  81 

American  jack,  185 

American  Jersey  families,  34 

American  Merino,  488 ;  size,  500 ;  as  a 
wool  producer,  501 

American,  or  lard,  type  of  pig,  683 

American  Percheron  horse  associations, 
116 

American  saddle  horse,  31 ;  ancestry, 
31;  characteristics,  33;  color,  34; 
native  home,  31 ;  noteworthy  mares, 
38;  prices,  38;  prominent  sires,  38; 
size,  33;  two  notable  families,  36; 
value  of  Thoroughbred  in  develop- 
ing, 32 

American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 39 

American  trotter  and  pacer,  44 

American  Yorkshire  club,  791 

Ancestry  of  Tamworth  pig,  792 

Andalusian  jack,  183 


799 


8oo 


INDEX 


Anglo-Nubian  goat,  678 

Angora,  varieties  of  goats  in,  666 

Angora  goat,  666 ;  characteristics,  668 ; 
distribution,  671;  fleece,  668;  intro- 
duction to  America,  667 ;  native 
home,  666;  official  promotion,  672; 
origin,  666;  as  producer  of  mutton, 
670;  prices,  671;  as  renovator  of 
brush  land,  670;  shelter  for,  671; 
varieties,  666;  weight,  670 

Angus.   See  Aberdeen-Angus 

Anna  tribe,  215 

Anxiety  family,  265 

Appearance  of  American  pig,  683 

Arab  horse,  7 ;  characteristics,  9 ;  five 
great  original  families,  8;  influence 
of,  ii ;  introduction  of,  to  America, 
10;  notable  individuals,  13;  origin  of 
pure,  7 ;  present-day  recognition,  14 ; 
societies,  16;  value  of,  in  crossbreed- 
ing, 13 

Arab  pony,  173 

Ardennais,  119 

Arms  and  forearms  of  light  harness 
horse,  41 

Asiatic  Wild  ass  or  Kiang,  182 

Ass,  182;  African  Wild,  182;  ancestry, 
182;  Asiatic  Wild,  or  Kiang,  182; 
characteristics  of  domestic,  183;  Per- 
sian Wild,  182 

Association,  American  Saddle  Horse 
Breeders',  39 ;  American  Tunis  Sheep 
Breeders',  617;  Cheshire  Swine 
Breeders',  769 

Associations,  American  Percheron  horse, 
116;  Hampshire  Down,  585;  for 
promoting  jacks  and  jennets,  191; 
to  promote  Shire  horse,  159 

A-type  Merino,  482 

Augusta  tribe,  223 

Australia,  modern  type  of  Merino  in, 
499;  popular  type  of  Merino  in,  500 

Australian  Merino,  494 

Ayrshire  cattle,  412;  characteristics, 
414;  color,  415;  crossbred  or  grade, 
417;  distribution,  425;  early  improv- 
ers, 413;  early  maturity,  417;  in- 
troduction to  America,  414;  milk  for 
cheese-making,  422;  as  milk  pro- 
ducers, 419;  native  home,  412;  or- 
ganizations promoting,  426;  origin, 
412;  prepotency,  417;  prices,  424; 
as  producers  of  beef,  423;  public 
tests,  422;  size,  416;  temperament 
and  disposition,  417;  ten  leading 
butter-fat  records,  421;  ten  leading 


milk  records,  420;  ten  leading  sires, 
424 

Ayrshire  Breeders'  Associations,  Ad- 
vanced Registry,  417 

Babraham,  538 

Bacon,  reputation  of  Large  Yorkshire 
for,  788 

Bacon  pig  in  America,  breeding,  780; 
demand  for,  781;  Tamworth  as, 
795;  weight,  780 

Bacon-type  pig,  778 

Bake  well,  Robert,  618;  Shire  improved 
by,  149 

Bar  None,  156 

Baron  of  Buchlyvie,  143 

Baron's  Pride,  143 

Bates,  Thomas,  212 

Bayard,  130 

Beau  Donald  family,  266 

Beautiful  Bells,  56 

Bedford,  or  Bedfordshire,  pig,  721 

Beef,  Aberdeen-Angus  as  producer  of, 
289;  Ayrshire  as  producer  of,  423; 
Brown  Swiss  as  producer  of,  471 ; 
Dutch  Belted  as  producer  of,  431 ; 
Jersey  as  producer  of,  332 ;  Red 
Polled  as  producer  of,  455;  Short- 
horn as  producer  of,  231;  West 
Highland  as  producer  of,  313 

Beef  animal,  fleshing,  206;  general  ap- 
pearance, 201 ;  quality,  205 

Beef  production,  Guernsey  in,  395 

Beef- type  cattle,  201 ;  compared  with 
dual-purpose,  447 

Belgian  government,  methods  em- 
ployed by,  to  encourage  horse  breed- 
ing, 122 

Belgian  horses,  121;  characteristics, 
125;  color,  126;  crossbred,  128;  dis- 
tribution, 131 ;  exhibitors  of,  in 
United  States,  133;  foundation  sires, 
129;  height  and  weight,  127;  intro- 
duction to  America,  124;  maturing 
quality,  128;  native  home,  121;  no- 
table recent-day,  130;  organizations 
for  promoting,  131;  prices,  131; 
temperament,  127 

Belgium,  draft-horse  shows  in,  132; 
horse  production  in,  121;  influence 
of  World  War  on  horse  in,  133; 
stud  fees  in,  124;  two  breeds  of 
horses  of  ancient  origin  in,  121 

Bellfounder,  45 

Belted,  or  sheeted,  pig,  recognition  of, 
750 


INDEX 


801 


Berkshire  pig,  689 ;  adaptability,  698 ; 
characteristics,  694;  color,  694; 
crossbred  or  grade,  700;  distribu- 
tion, 704;  element  in  Poland-China 
evolution,  722  ;  families,  702 ;  'famous 
boars,  702;  as  feeder,  697;  first 
improvement  of  native,  690;  foun- 
dation of  breed,  689;  as  grazer,  697; 
important  early  British  improvers, 
693 ;  introduction  to  America,  693 ; 
maturing  qualities,  698 ;  native 
home,  689;  older  type,  691;  organi- 
zations promoting,  704 ;  prepotency, 
702 ;  prices,  703 ;  prolificacy,  701 ; 
quality  of  pork,  699;  size,  696;  as 
source  of  red  swine,  706 

Big  China  pig,  722 

Birdsall  Menestrel,  158 

Blackbird  family,  294 

Blackcap  family,  296 

Black-faced  Highland  sheep,  651 ; 
characteristics,  652 ;  crossbred  or 
grade,  653 ;  distribution,  654 ;  intro- 
duction to  America,  652 ;  native 
home,  651;  origin,  651;  prices,  654; 
as  producer  of  wool,  653 ;  pro- 
motion, 654 ;  quality  of  mutton,  653  ; 
size,  653;  special  field,  654 

Black  pig.    See  Large  Black 

Black-Top  Spanish  Delaine,  character- 
istics, 514 

Black-Top  Spanish  Merino,  513 

Blake  strain,  160 

Boars,  famous  Berkshire,  702 

Bonnie  Lassie  family,  401 

Booth  family,  214 

Booth,  John,  214 

Booth,  Richard,  214 

Booth,  Thomas,  214  [626 

Border  Leicester  rams  on  Cheviot  ewes, 

Border  Leicester  sheep,  624;  character- 
istics, 625 

Boulonnais,  118 

Bracelet  tribe,  216 

Bra  with  Bud  tribe,  219 

Breeders,  early  constructive  Hereford, 

253 

Breeding  bacon  pig,  780 

Breeding  in  Germany,  early  records 
of  horse,  82 

Breeding  qualities,  of  American 
Merino,  505;  of  Cotswold,  634;  of 
Delaine  Merino,  517;  of  Leicester, 
624;  of  Lincoln,  642;  of  Rambouil- 
let,  529;  of  Southdown,  547;  of 
West  Highland,  315 


Breeding  of  Southdown  by  English 
nobility,  539 

Breeding  three  types  of  Merinoes,  483 

Breeds,  of  cattle  in  Holland  at  present 
day,  357;  of  French  Draft  horses, 
distinct,  118;  of  horses  of  ancient 
origin  in  Belgium,  two,  121;  or 
varieties  of  milk-producing  goats, 
674 

Breton,  119 

Brilliant,  130 

British  improvers  of  Berkshire,  impor- 
tant early,  693 

British  thoroughbreds,  list  of  famous, 
23 

Broadhooks  tribe,  219 

Bronchos,  Indian  ponies,  mustangs,  1 73 

Broomfield  Champion,  141 

Brown  Swiss  cattle,  463 ;  adaptability, 
468;  as  beef  producers,  471; 
characteristics,  464;  color,  466; 
crossing  or  grading,  467;  distribu- 
tion, 471 ;  introduction  to  America, 
464 ;  milk  production,  468 ;  native 
home,  463 ;  origin,  463 ;  prepotency, 
467 ;  promotion,  472 ;  register  of 
production,  470;  size,  466 

Brush  land,  Angora  as  renovator  of, 
670 

B-type  Merino,  482 

Buena  Vista,  189 

Bullock,  crossbred  or  grade  Aberdeen- 
Angus,  292 

Bulls  of  distinction,  Galloway,  309; 
Jersey,  346;  leading  imported  Jer- 
sey, 349;  leading  native  Jersey,  348 

Bury  Chief  Victor,  157 

Butcher's  beast,  Devon  as,  477 

Butter-fat  producers,  Guernseys,  398; 
Holstein-Friesians,  3  70 ;  Jerseys,  334 ; 
Red  Polled,  457 

Butter-fat  production,  Ayrshire,  421 

Butter-fat  records,  of  ten  leading  Ayr- 
shire cows,  421;  leading  Guernsey, 
400;  leading  semiofficial  Holstein- 
Friesian,  370;  of  Shorthorn  cows, 
important,  238 

Butter-fat  tests,  of  Jersey  cows,  au- 
thenticated, 336;  for  ten  leading 
Jersey  cows  for  one  year,  337 

Butter  tests  of  Jerseys,  private,  335 

Byerly  Turk,  19 

By  field  pig,  722 

Cambridge  Rose  Tribe,  213 

Canadian  cattle.  See  French  Canadian 


802 


INDEX 


Cannons  of  light  harness  horse,  41 

Carriage  or  saddle  animal,  mule  as, 
199 

Catalonian  jack,  183 

Cattle,  Ayrshire,  412;  beef  type,  201; 
Brown  Swiss,  463 ;  color  of  Ayrshire, 
415;  color  of  Guernsey,  392;  dairy 
type,  317;  Devon,  473;  Dexter,  442; 
distribution  of  Ayrshire,  425;  dis- 
tribution of  Brown  Swiss,  471 ;  dis- 
tribution of  Devon,  478 ;  distribution 
of  Dexter,  446 ;  distribution  of  Dutch 
Belted,  432 ;  distribution  of  French 
Canadian,  436;  distribution  of  Hol- 
stein-Friesian,  382;  distribution  of 
Jersey,  351 ;  distribution  of  Kerry, 
440;  distribution  of  Red  Polled,  461 ; 
dual-purpose  type,  447;  Dutch 
Belted,  428;  earliest  improvers  of 
Aberdeen-Angus,  280;  French  Cana- 
dian, 434;  Guernsey,  385;  Holstein- 
Friesian,  354;  Kerry,  438;  milk  pro- 
duction of  Ayrshire,  419;  native 
home  of  Ayrshire,  412 ;  native  home 
of  Galloway,  300;  native  home  of 
Holstein-Friesian,  354;  Norfolk  Red 
Polled,  451;  Polled  Jersey,  353; 
present-day  breeds  in  Holland,  357; 
prices  on  Aberdeen-Angus,  297; 
prices  on  Ayrshire,  424;  prices  on 
Guernsey,  408;  prices  on  Holstein- 
Friesian,  379;  prices  on  Jersey,  349; 
Red  Polled,  450;  size  of  Ayrshire, 
416;  size  of  Brown  Swiss,  466;  size 
of  Devon,  476 ;  size  of  Guernsey, 
393;  size  of  Holstein-Friesian,  363; 
size  of  Red  Polled,  454;  Suffolk 
Red  Polled,  450;  two  classes  of 
dual-purpose,  448;  West  Highland, 

3*i 

Cattle  on  Jersey,  legislation  protecting 
purity  of,  325 

Cattle  organizations,  to  promote  Ayr- 
shire, 426;  to  promote  Devon,  478; 
to  promote  Guernsey,  411;  to  pro- 
mote Jersey,  351 

Channel  Islands,  323 

Characteristics,  of  Aberdeen-Angus, 
284;  of  American  Merino,  498;  of 
American  saddle  horse,  33;  of  An- 
gora goat,  668;  of  Ayrshire,  414;  of 
Belgian  horse,  125;  of  Berkshire, 
694;  of  Black-faced  Highland,  652; 
of  Black-Top  Spanish  Delaine,  514; 
of  Border  Leicester,  625;  of  Brown 
Swiss,  464;  of  Cheshire,  767;  of 


Chester  White,  741 ;  of  Cheviot,  599 ; 
of  Cleveland  Bay,  86 ;  of  Clydesdale, 
136;  of  Corriedale,  657;  of  Cots- 
wold,  630;  of  Devon,  475;  of  Dex- 
ter, 443;  of  Dickinson  Delaine,  512; 
of  domestic  ass,  183;  of  Dorset 
Horn,  588 ;  of  Duroc- Jersey,  709 ;  of 
Dutch  Belted,  428;  of  early  South- 
down, 540;  of  English  Leicester, 
621;  of  Essex,  775;  of  French  Ca- 
nadian, 434;  of  French  Coach,  79; 
of  Galloway,  302  ;  of  German  Coach, 
82 ;  of  Guernsey,  391 ;  of  Hackney, 
73;  of  Hampshire  Down,  578;  of 
Hampshire  pig,  753 ;  of  Hereford, 
258;  of  Holstein-Friesian,  361;  of 
Jersey,  327;  of  Jersey  Red,  707;  of 
Karakul,  661 ;  of  Kerry,  438;  of 
Large  Black,  762;  of  Large  York- 
shire, 785;  of  Lincoln,  638;  of 
Merino,  484;  of  milk  of  goat, 
673;  of  mule,  194;  of  Mule-Foot, 
759;  of  National,  Standard,  or 
Victor-Beall  Delaines,  515;  of  Ox- 
ford Down,  568;  of  Percheron,  104; 
of  Poland-China,  725;  of  Rambouil- 
let,  524;  of  Red  Polled,  453;  of 
Shetland  pony,  177;  of  Shire,  152; 
of  Shorthorn,  225;  of  Shropshire, 
556;  of  Small  Yorkshire,  771;  of 
Southdown  in  more  recent  years, 
451;  of  Spotted  Poland-China,  736; 
of  Suffolk  horse,  162;  of  Suffolk 
sheep,  608 ;  of  Tamworth,  793 ;  of 
Tunis,  614;  of  West  Highland 
cattle,  312 

Cheese,  from  Holstein-Friesian  milk, 
372;  from  Ayrshire  milk,  422;  from 
Jersey  milk,  338;  value  of  Guern- 
sey milk  for,  401 

Cherry  tribe,  211 

Cheshire  Breeders'  Association,  769 

Cheshire  pig,  766;  characteristics,  767; 
crossbred  or  grade,  768;  distribu- 
tion, 769;  fecundity,  769;  as  feeder, 
768;  as  grazer,  769;  quality  of  meat, 
768;  native  home,  766;  origin,  766; 
popularity,  769;  size,  767 

Chester  White  pig,  737;  adaptability, 
744;  adoption  of  name,  738;  charac- 
teristics, 741 ;  crossbred  or  grade, 
745 ;  distribution,  747 ;  families,  746 ; 
as  feeder,  743;  as  grazer,  743;  ma- 
turing qualities,  744;  native  home, 
737;  Ohio  Improved,  740;  organiza- 
tions promoting,  748;  origin  of  Im- 


INDEX 


803 


proved,  739;  original  type,  737;  pre- 
potency, 746;  prices,  746;  prolifi- 
cacy, 745 ;  quality  of  pork,  744 ;  sires 
of  distinction,  746 ;  size,  742 

Cheviot  ewes,  Border  Leicester  rams 
on,  626 

Cheviot  sheep,  597;  characteristics, 
509 ;  crossbred  or  grade,  601 ;  dis- 
tribution, 605 ;  as  grazer,  602  ;  hardi- 
ness, 603 ;  introduction  to  United 
States,  599;  as  mutton  producer, 
601;  origin,  597;  prices,  604;  prolif- 
icacy, 603;  on  range,  612;  size,  600; 
as  wool  producer,  604 

Cheviot  sheep  breeders'  organizations, 
606 

Chief  family,  36 

China  pig,  Big,  722 

Cholera,  immunity  of  Mule-Foot  pig 
from,  760 

Classes,  of  dual-purpose  cattle  (two), 
448;  of  Merino  sheep  (three),  481; 
of  mules  in  market,  195 

Clay  family,  53 

Cleveland  Bay,  85 ;  characteristics,  86 ; 
distribution,  87 ;  introduction  to 
America,  85 ;  native  home,  85 ;  or- 
ganizations to  promote,  87;  origin, 
85;  as  roadster,  87 

Clipper  tribe,  219 

Clothilde  family,  373 

Clyde,  142 

Clydesdale  horse,  134;  action,  137; 
adaptability,  139 ;  characteristics, 
136;  color,  138;  criticisms  of,  140; 
distribution,  146;  early  history,  134; 
first  brought  to  America,  138;  half- 
bred,  or  grade,  140;  height  and 
weight,  138;  an  honor  roll  of  sires, 
144;  important  sires,  140;  of  merit 
in  America,  144;  native  home,  134; 
organizations  promoting,  147 ;  origin 
of  modern,  134 ;  prices,  145 ;  prolifi- 
cacy, 139;  temperament,  139;  use  of 
English  blood  on,  135 

Coach  horse,  Yorkshire,  87 

Cob,  69 

Colling  brothers,  209 

Color,  of  Aberdeen-Angus,  285;  of 
American  saddle  horse,  34;  of  Ayr- 
shire, 415;  of  Belgian  horse,  126;  of 
Berkshire,  694;  of  Brown  Swiss, 
466;  of  Clydesdale,  138;  of  Dexter, 
444;  of  Duroc- Jersey,  711;  of 
Guernsey,  392;  of  Hackney,  74;  of 
Hampshire  pig,  754;  of  Hereford, 


260;  of  Holstein-Friesian,  362;  of 
jack,  187;  of  Jersey,  328;  of  Large 
Yorkshire,  786;  of  mule,  197;  of 
Percheron,  106;  of  pig,  688;  of 
Poland-China,  725;  of  Red  Polled, 
454;  of  Shetland  pony,  177;  of 
Shire,  154;  of  Shorthorn,  229;  of 
Suffolk  horse,  164;  of  Thorough- 
bred, 23 

Combination  family,  344 

Conformation,  of  draft  horses,  general, 
89 ;  general  mutton,  533 ;  of  Merino, 
general,  481;  of  Thoroughbred,  21 

Connemara  pony,  172 

Coomassie  family,  342 

Coquette  family,  296 

Corrector  family,  266 

Corriedale  sheep,  655;  characteristics, 
657;  distribution,  659;  fleece,  658; 
as  grazer  or  forager,  659;  importa- 
tion into  North  America,  657;  as 
mutton  producer,  658;  native  home, 
655;  official  promotion,  659;  origin, 
655;  prices,  659;  weight,  658 

Cotswold  sheep,  628;  breeding  qual- 
ities, 634 ;  characteristics,  630 ;  cross- 
bred or  grade,  633 ;  derivation  of 
name,  628;  distribution,  635;  as 
feeder,  632;  as  grazer,  633;  history, 
628;  introduction  to  United  States, 
629;  for  mutton,  631;  native 
home,  628;  prices,  635;  promotion, 
635;  size,  631;  as  wool  producer, 

634 

Cows,  French  Canadian  as  milk  pro- 
ducers,   435;     Holstein-Friesian     as 
milk  producers,  368;  official  public- 
dairy  tests  of  Shorthorn,  235 
Cowslip  family,  340 
Crimp  and  elasticity  of  Merino  wool, 

503 

Criticisms,  of  Clydesdale,  140;  of  Gal- 
loway, 310;  of  Tarn  worth,  798 
Crossbred  Belgian,  128 
Crossbred  Dexter,  445 
Crossbred   Galloway,  305 
Crossbred   or   grade    Aberdeen-Angus 

bullock,  292 

Crossbred  or  grade  Ayrshire,  417 
Crossbred  or  grade  Berkshire,  700 
Crossbred  or  grade  Black-faced  High- 
land, 653 

Crossbred  or  grade  Cheshire,  768 
Crossbred  or  grade  Chester  White,  745 
Crossbred  or  grade  Cheviot,  601 
Crossbred  or  grade  Cotswold,  633 


804 


INDEX 


Crossbred  or  grade  Delaine  Merino,  517 
Crossbred  or  grade  Duroc- Jersey,  714 
Crossbred  or  grade  Dutch  Belted,  431 
Crossbred  or  grade  Essex,  776 
Crossbred  or  grade  Guernsey,  393 
Crossbred  or  grade  Hampshire  pig,  756 
Crossbred  or  grade  Hereford,  263 
Crossbred  or  grade  Holstein-Friesian, 

366 

Crossbred  or  grade  Karakul,  662 
Crossbred  or  grade  Leicester,  623 
Crossbred  or  grade  Lincoln,  640 
Crossbred  or  grade  Merino,  503 
Crossbred  or  grade  Oxford  Down,  571 
Crossbred  or  grade,  Percheron,  108 
Crossbred  or  grade  Poland-China,  729 
Crossbred  or  grade  Rambouillet,  528 
Crossbred  or  grade  Shire,  155 
Crossbred  or  grade  Shropshire,  559 
Crossbred  or  grade  Small  Yorkshire, 

772 

Crossbred  or  grade  Southdown,  546 
Crossbred  or  grade  Suffolk  horse,  165 
Crossbred  or  grade  Suffolk  sheep,  610 
Crossbred  or  grade  Tamworth,  796 
Crossbred  or  grade  Tunis  sheep,  616 
Crossbred  or  grade  West  Highland,  314 
Crossbred  Romney  Marsh,  648 
Crossbreds,  Large  Yorkshire,  787 
Crossbreeding,  of  Brown  Swiss,  467; 
of    Devon,   478;    of    Dorset   Horn, 
591 ;  of  Hampshire  Down,  582 ;  of 
Jersey,  332;  of  Kerry,  439;  of  Red 
Polled,    458;    of    Shorthorn,    234; 
value  of  Arab  in,  13 
Cruickshank,  Amos,  218 
C-type  Merino,  maintenance  of  De- 
laine or,  516 

Dairy  cattle,  general  appearance,  317; 

udder,  320 
Dairy  point  of  view,  Shorthorn  from, 

235 

Dairy  tests  of  Shorthorn  cows,  official 
public,  235 

Dairy  type  of  cattle,  317;  compared 
with  dual-purpose  type,  447;  qual- 
ity of,  322 

Daisy  tribe,  211 

Darley  Arabian,  19 

Darnley,  142 

Dartmoor  pony,  170 

Davy,  John  Tanner,  474 

DeKol  family,  373 

Delaine  Merino  sheep,  511;  adaptabil- 
ity, 518;  breeding  quality,  517; 


characteristics  of  Black-Top  Spanish, 
514;  characteristics  of  Dickinson, 
512  ;  crossbred  or  grade,  517 ;  deriva- 
tion of  word,  511;  distribution,  519; 
as  feeder,  518;  national,  514;  origin, 
511;  promotion,  519 

Delaine  or  C-type  Merino,  mainte- 
nance, 516;  mutton  value,  517 

Demi-Sang,  79 

Denmark  family,  36 

Derby,  thoroughbred  records  of  Eng- 
lish, 27 

Development  of  Hackney,  71 

Devon  cattle,  473;  for  beef,  477; 
characteristics,  475 ;  crossing  and 
grading,  478 ;  distribution,  478 ;  early 
improvers  of,  473;  as  grazer,  478; 
introduction  to  America,  475 ;  as 
milk  producer,  477;  native  home, 
473  ;  organizations  to  promote,  478 ; 
origin,  473 ;  oxen,  478 ;  popularity  in 
America,  479;  size,  476;  two  types 
of,  476 

Dexter  cattle,  442  ;  characteristics,  443 ; 
color,  444 ;  crossbred,  445 ;  distribu- 
tion, 446 ;  hardy  character,  444 ;  in- 
troduction to  America,  442 ;  as  milk 
producer,  445;  native  home,  442; 
•  official  promotion,  446;  origin,  442; 
prices,  445;  size,  444 

Dickinson  Delaine,  511 ;  characteristics, 
512 

Diomed,  45 

Disease,  resistance  of  mules  to,  198 

Disposition  and  temperament,  of  Ayr- 
shire, 417;  of  Holstein-Friesian, 
365;  of  Jersey,  331 

Distribution,  of  Aberdeen-Angus,  299; 
of  Angora  goat,  671 ;  of  Ayrshire, 
425;  of  Belgian,  131;  of  Berkshire, 
704;  of  Black-faced  Highland,  654; 
of  Brown  Swiss,  471 ;  of  Cheshire, 
769;  of  Chester  White,  747;  of 
Cheviot,  605 ;  of  Cleveland  Bay,  87 ; 
of  Clydesdale,  146;  of  Corriedale, 
659;  of  Cotswold,  635;  of  Delaine 
Merino,  519;  of  Devon,  478;  of 
Dexter,  446;  of  Dorset  Horn,  595; 
of  Duroc- Jersey,  718;  of  Dutch 
Belted,  432 ;  of  Essex,  777 ;  of  French 
Canadian,  436;  of  French  Coach, 
80;  of  Galloway,  309;  of  German 
Coach,  84;  of  Guernsey,  410;  of 
Hackney,  76;  of  Hampshire  Down 
sheep,  585 ;  of  Hampshire  pig,  757 ; 
of  Hereford,  273;  of  Holstein- 


INDEX 


805 


Friesian,  382;  of  jacks  and  jennets" 
in  America,  191;  of  Jersey,  351;  of 
Karakul,  665;  of  Kerry,  440;  of 
Large  Black,  764;  of  Large  York- 
shire, 791;  of  Leicester,  627;  of  Lin- 
coln, 644;  of  Merino,  509;  of  .mule, 
geographical,  193;  of  Mule-'Foot, 
761;  of  Oxford  Down,  573;  of 
Percheron,  114;  of  Poland-China 
swine,  734;  of  Polled  Hereford, 
277;  of  Polled  Shorthorn,  250;  of 
Rambouillet,  532;  of  Red  Polled, 
461;  of  Romney  Marsh,  649;  of 
Shetland  pony,  181 ;  of  Shire,  158; 
of  Shorthorn,  geographical,  244;  of 
Shropshire,  563 ;  of  Small  Yorkshire, 
773;  of  Southdown,  550;  of  Stand- 
ard-bred horse,  63 ;  of  Suffolk  horse, 
166;  of  Suffolk  sheep,  612 ;  of  Tarn- 
worth,  798;  of  Thoroughbred,  29; 
of  Tunis,  617;  of  West  Highland,  31 5 

Disturber  family,  266 

Dolly  Bloom  family,  402 

Dorset  Horn  sheep,  586;  character- 
istics, 588 ;  crossing  or  grading,  591 ; 
distribution,  595 ;  as  early-lamb  pro- 
ducer, 591 ;  as  grazer,  593 ;  horns  a 
protection,  595;  introduction  to 
America,  587;  as  mutton  producer, 
590;  native  home,  586;  origin,  586; 
prolificacy,  592;  size,  589;  as  wool 
producer,  593 

Dorset  Horn  sheep  breeders,  organi- 
zations of,  596 

"Double  standard"  Polled  Shorthorn, 
247 

Draft  horse,  action,  94;  distribution 
of  Belgian,  131;  height,  89;  the 
Suffolk  as,  1 66;  type,  80 

Draft  horse  shows  in  Belgium,  132 

Draft-horse  type,  89 

Draft  mules,  195 

Draft,  value  of  Shetland  pony  for,  179 

Drivers  of  race  horses,  62 

Drives  in  Spain,  annual  Merino,  489 

Dual-purpose  type  of  cattle,  447 ;  two 
classes,  448 

Duchess  of  Gloster  tribe,  223 

Duchess  tribe,  211;  of  Bates,  212 

Dunure  Footprint,  144 

Durham,  "  single  standard  "  Polled,  247 

Duroc- Jersey  pig,  705,  707 ;  adapta- 
bility, 715 ;  characteristics,  709 ;  color, 
711;  crossbred  or  grade,  714;  of 
distinction,  716;  distribution,  718; 
families,  716;  as  feeder,  713;  as 


grazer,  712;  improvement,  709;  ma- 
turing qualities,  713;  organizations 
promoting,  718;  origin,  708;  pre- 
potency, 716;  prices,  717;  prolifi- 
cacy, 715;  quality  of  pork,  714; 
size,  711 

Dutch  cattle,  origin,  355 

Dutch  Belted  cattle,  428;  as  beef  pro- 
ducer, 431;  characteristics,  428; 
crossbred  or  grade,  431 ;  distribution 
and  adaptability,  432 ;  introduction 
to  America,  428;  as  milk  producer 
430;  native  home,  428;  origin,  428; 
popularity,  433;  promotion,  432 

Early  lambs,  Dorset  Horn  for,  591 ; 

Hampshire  Down   for,  581 ;   Tunis 

for,  616 
Eclipse,  20 
Elasticity  and  crimp  of  Merino  wool, 

503 

Ellman,  John,  537 
Endurance  of  mule,  197 
England,  improvement   of   Jersey   in, 

326;    horse    in,    prior    to    reign    of 

Queen   Elizabeth,   17 
English  blood  on  Clydesdale,  use  of, 

135 

English  Merinos,  494 

English  Shorthorn  breeders,  less 
prominent  early,  217 

English  Thoroughbred  sires,  three 
early,  19 

English  trotting  horse,  history,  44 

Eohippus,  3 

Epihippus,  4 

Equus,  4 

Erica  family,  293 

Escurial  Merinos,  491 

Escutcheon,  322 

Essex  pig,  774;  characteristics,  775; 
crossbred  or  grade,  776;  distribu- 
tion, 777;  early  native  type,  774; 
establishment  of  Improved,  774;  fe- 
cundity, 776;  as  feeder,  776;  im- 
provement, 774;  introduction  to 
America,  775;  maturing  quality, 
777;  native  home,  774;  popularity, 
777;  promotion  in  America,  777; 
quality  of  meat,  776;  size,  776 

Estantes,  489 

Eurotas  family,  342 

Evolution  of  Hackney,  important,  71 

Evolution  of  the  horse,  2  ;  tracing  the,  4 

Ewes,  fecundity  of  Suffolk,  6n 

Exmoor  pony,  170 


8o6 


INDEX 


Fairholm,  or  Blossom,  Tribe,  217 

Families,  Aberdeen- Angus,  293  ;  Amer- 
ican saddle  horse,  two  notable,  36; 
Berkshire,  important,  702 ;  Chester 
White,  746;  Duroc- Jersey,  716; 
Guernsey,  401 ;  Hereford,  of  note, 
264;  Holstein-Friesian,  372;  Jersey, 
of  distinction,  339;  Merino,  impor- 
tant subtypes,  505;  Poland-China, 
and  foundation  sows,  731 ;  Small 
Whites,  strains  or,  770;  trotting,  of 
note,  50 

Family,  Clay,  53;  Hal,  56;  Hamble- 
tonian,  50;  Mambrino,  52;  Morgan, 
53 ;  Pilot,  55 

Fancy,  or  Orange  Blossom,  tribe,  221 

Farm  mules,  196 

Fattening  and  fleshing  quality  of  pig, 
687 

Fecundity  and  longevity,  of  Cheshire, 
769;  of  Essex,  776;  of  Hampshire 
Down,  583;  of  Karakul,  664;  of 
milch  goat,  682;  of  Shropshire,  560; 
of  Small  Yorkshire,  773;  of  Suffolk 
ewes,  611;  of  Suffolk  horse,  165; 
of  Tamworth,  797;  of  Tunis,  611 

Feeder,  Berkshire  as,  697;  Cheshire  as, 
768;  Chester  White  as,  743;  Cots- 
wold  as,  632;  Delaine  as,  518; 
Duroc- Jersey  as,  713;  Essex  as,  776; 
Hampshire  as,  755;  Large  Black  as, 
763;  Large  Yorkshire  as,  789;  Lin- 
coln as,  640;  Mule-Foot  as,  760; 
Oxford  Down  as,  570;  Poland-China 
as,  727;  Romney  Marsh  as,  648; 
Small  Yorkshire  as,  772  ;  Southdown 
as,  544 ;  Suffolk  sheep  as,  609 ;  Tam- 
worth as,  795 

Fibre,  fineness  of  Merino,  502 

Financial  Interest  family,  340 

Fine-wool  type  of  sheep,  Merino  or, 
481 

Fleece,  of  Angora  goat,  668;  of  Cor- 
riedale,  658;  of  Karakul,  661 ;  of 
Romney  Marsh,  649;  of  Tunis,  616 

Fleece,  relationship  of  Merino  to  body 
weight,  502 

Fleshing  and  fattening  quality,  of  pig, 
687 ;  of  beef  animal,  206 

Foggathorpe  tribe,  214 

Fontaine  family,  340 

Foot,  of  light  harness  horse,  41 ;  single, 

34 
Forearms  and  arms  of  light  harness 

horse,  41 
Forton  of  Wynhuize,  129 


Foundation,  of  Berkshire,  689;  of 
Poland-China,  720 

Foundation  Jersey  sires,  important, 
346 

France  family,  403 

France-,  horse  racing  in,  78;  improve- 
ment of  Percheron  in,  102 

French  Canadian  cattle,  434;  char- 
acteristics, 434;  distribution,  436; 
grazing  qualities,  436;  hardy  char- 
acter, 436;  maturing  qualities,  436; 
as  milk  producer,  435;  native  home, 
434;  origin,  434;  promotion  of  pure, 

437 
French  Coach  horse,  78 ;  characteristics, 

79;    distribution,    80;     origin,     79; 

speed  records,  80 
French    Draft    horse,     118;     distinct 

breeds,  118 
French    Draft    Horse    Association    of 

America,  National,  120 
French  Jockey  Club,  79 
French  Merino,  or  Rambouillet,  494 
French  race  track,  80 
Friesian,  origin  of  name,  358 
Fullerton,  William,  282 
Fur  of  Karakul  lamb,  662 
Furs,  market  value  of  Karakul,  663 
Futurity  records  of  Thoroughbred,  28 
Futurity  shows,  Percheron,  112 

Gait,  of  Hackney,  73 ;  of  saddle  horse, 
34 ;  of  trotter  and  pacer,  47 

Galliers,  William,  254 

Gallipoly,  98 

Galloway  cattle,  300;  bulls  of  dis- 
tinction, 309 ;  characteristics,  302  ; 
criticisms,  310;  crossbred,  305;  dis- 
tribution, 309 ;  hardiness,  307 ;  hide, 
307 ;  improvement,  300 ;'  introduction 
to  America,  302 ;  as  meat  producers, 
304;  in  milk  production,  306;  native 
home,  300 ;  organizations  for  promot- 
ing, 309;  origin,  300;  prepotency, 
308;  prices,  309;  size,  304 

Geldings,  Percheron,  113 

General-purpose  and  dual-purpose 
types  of  cattle,  447 

German  Coach  horse,  82;  character- 
istics, 82;  distribution,  84;  intro- 
duction to  America,  82  ;  native  home, 
82 ;  organization  of,  in  America,  84 ; 
type,  83 

German,  or  Silesian,  Merinos,  493 

Germany,  early  records  of  horse  breed- 
ing in,  82 


INDEX 


807 


Glancer,  140 

Glenwood  girl  family,  403 

Glista  family,  378 

Goat,  Anglo-Nubian,  678;  Angora,  see 
Angora  goat;  breeds  or  varieties  of 
milk-producing,  674;  characteristics 
of  milk,  673 ;  cost  of  producing  milk 
of,  680;  Maltese,  676;  milch,  see 
Milch  goat;  Nubian,  677;  period  of 
lactation,  682;  Saanen,  676; 
Schwarzhal,  679;  as  source  of  milk, 
673 ;  Toggenburg,  674 

Godolphin,  98 

Godolphin  Barb,  19 

Golden  Lad  family,  339 

Governor  Wood,  190 

Grade  or  cross,  of  Aberdeen-Angus, 
292;  of  Ayrshire,  417;  of  Berkshire, 
700;  of  Black-faced  Highland,  653; 
of  Cheshire,  768;  of  Chester  White, 
745 ;  of  Cheviot,  601 ;  of  Clydesdale, 
140;  of  Cotswold,  633;  of  Delaine 
Merino,  517;  of  Duroc- Jersey,  714; 
of  Dutch  Belted,  431 ;  of  Essex,  776; 
of  Guernsey,  303 ;  of  Hackney,  75 ; 
of  Hampshire  pig,  756 ;  of  Hereford, 
263;  of  Leicester,  623;  of  Lincoln, 
640;  of  Merino,  503;  of  Holstein- 
Friesian,  366;  of  Oxford  Down,  571; 
of  Percheron,  108;  of  Poland-China, 
729;  of  Rambouillet,  258;  of  Shire, 
155;  of  Shropshire,  559;  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  772;  of  Southdown,  546; 
of  Suffolk  horse,  165;  of  Suffolk 
sheep,  610;  of  Tamworth,  796;  of 
Tunis,  616;  of  West  Highland,  314 

Grading  and  crossing,  Brown  Swiss  in, 
467;  Devon  in,  478;  Dorset  Horn  in, 
591 ;  Hampshire  Down  in,  582 ;  im- 
portance of  Shorthorn  in,  234;  Jer- 
sey in,  332;  Red  Polled  in,  458 

Grant,  George  Macpherson,  283 

Grazer,  Berkshire  as,  697;  Cheshire 
as,  769;  Chester  White  as,  743; 
Cheviot  as,  602 ;  Corriedale  as,  659 ; 
Cotswold  as,  633;  Devon  as,  478; 
Dorset  Horn  as,  593;  Duroc- Jersey 
as,  712;  French  Canadian  as,  436; 
Hampshire  Down  as,  582 ;  Hamp- 
shire pig  as,  755;  Hereford  as,  263; 
Kerry  as,  440 ;  Large  Black  as,  763 ; 
Large  Yorkshire  as,  789;  Leicester 
as,  624;  Lincoln  as,  642;  Poland- 
China  as,  727;  Shropshire  as,  559; 
Small  Yorkshire  as,  773 ;  Tamworth 
as,  797 


Great  Britain,  horse  racing  and  the 
race  track  in,  18 

Green  Mountain  Maid,  56 

Groups  and  tribes,  of  Red  Polled 
cattle,  460;  of  Spanish  sheep,  two 
great,  489 

Guadaloupe  Merinos,  491 

Guernsey,  protection  and  improvement 
of  cattle  on,  387 

Guernsey  cattle,  385;  in  beef  produc- 
tion, 395 ;  character,  393 ;  character- 
istics, 391 ;  cheese  value  of  milk, 
401 ;  color,  392 ;  crossbred  or  grade, 
393;  distribution,  410;  families,  401 ; 
introduction  to  America,  389;  lead- 
ing butter-fat  records,  400;  native 
home,  385 ;  organizations  promoting, 
411 ;  origin,  358;  prices,  408;  as  pro- 
ducer of  butter  fat,  398 ;  as  producer 
of  milk,  398;  prolificacy,  395;  scale 
points  (early),  387;  size,  393;  skin 
secretions,  392;  temperament,  393; 
ten  leading  sires,  408 

Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  Advanced 
Registry  of  America,  396 

Guinea  breed  of  pigs,  705 

Hackney,  characteristics,  73 ;  color,  74 ; 
derivation  of  word,  70;  distribution, 
76;  early  development,  71;  effect  of 
the  motor  on  breeding,  77;  gait,  73; 
half-bred  or  grade,  75;  height,  74; 
imitation,  76;  important  evolution, 
71;  introduction  to  America,  72; 
native  home,  70;  original  stock,  70; 
promotion,  77;  soundness,  75 

Hackney  pony,  173 

Hair,  and  skin  of  Hereford,  259;  of 
pig,  687;  of  Shetland  pony,  177 

Hairy  legs  of  Shire,  153 

Hal  family,  56 

Half-bred.   See  Grade  or  cross 

Halnaby,  or  Strawberry,  tribe,  216 

Hambletonian  family,  50 

Hambletonian  10,  pedigree  of,  52 

Hampshire  Down  sheep,  575;  charac- 
teristics, 578;  distribution,  585; 
early  improvement,  576;  for  early 
lambs,  581 ;  fecundity,  583 ;  for 
grading  or  crossing,  582;  as  grazer, 
582;  introduction  to  America,  578; 
as  mutton  animal,  580 ;  native  home, 
575;  origin,  575;  prices,  583;  as 
producer  of  wool,  583;  size,  580 

Hampshire  Down  sheep  associations, 
585 


8o8 


INDEX 


Hampshire  pig,  749 ;  adaptability,  755 ; 
characteristics,  753;  color,  754; 
crossbred  or  grade,  756;  distribution, 
757 ;  early  history,  749 ;  early  matur- 
ity, 755;  as  feeder,  755;  as  grazer, 
755;  introduction  to  America,  751; 
organization  to  promote,  758 ;  prices, 
757;  prolificacy,  756;  prominent 
sires,  757;  quality  of  pork,  755;  size, 

755 

Hardiness,  of  Cheviot  sheep,  603;  of 
Dexter,  444;  of  French  Canadian, 
436 ;  of  Galloway,  307 ;  of  Karakul, 
664 ;  of  Kerry,  439 ;  of  Rambouillet, 
529;  of  West  Highland,  315 

Harness  torse,  heavy,  64;  light,  40 

Harold,  156 

Head  of  light  harness  horse,  40 

Heather  Bloom  or  Heather  Blossom 
family,  296 

Heavy  harness  horse,  action,  67 ;  gen- 
eral appearance,  64;  subclasses,  68; 
type,  64 

Height  and  weight,  of  Belgian,  127;  of 
Clydesdale,  138 ;  of  draft  horse,  89 ; 
of  Hackney,  74;  of  jack,  187;  of 
Percheron,  106;  of  Shetland  pony, 
178;  of  Thoroughbred,  23 

Hereford  cattle,  252 ;  characteristics, 
258;  color,  260;  crossbred  or  grade, 
263;  distribution,  273;  early  con- 
structive breeders,  253;  early  matur- 
ity, 262;  families  of  note,  264; 
foundation  ancestors,  256;  as  graz- 
ers, 263 ;  as  meat  producers,  261 ; 
native  home,  252;  noted  sires,  270; 
origin,  252;  prepotency,  263;  prices, 
271;  prolificacy,  264;  promotion  of 
.interests,  274;  skin  and  hair,  259; 
size,  260 

Herefords,  Polled,  275.  See  Polled 
Hereford 

Herod  (King  Herod),  19 

Hesiod  family,  267 

Hewer,  John,  255 

Hide  of  Galloway,  307 

Highland  cattle.   See  West  Highland 

Highland  pony,  172 

Highland  sheep.  See  Black-faced  High- 
land 

Hindquarters  of  light  harness  horse,  42 

History,  of  English  trotting  horse,  44 ; 
of  early  Hampshire  pig,  749 

Hitchin  Conqueror,  157 

Holland,  present-day  breeds  of  cattle 
in,  357 


Holstein-Friesian  cattle,  354 ;  adaptabil- 
ity, 365;  Advanced  Registry  official 
testing,  367;  Advanced  Registry  re- 
quirements, 367;  as  butter-fat  pro- 
ducers, 370;  characteristics,  361; 
color,  362;  disposition,  365;  distri- 
bution, 382;  families,  372;  intro- 
duction to  America,  256;  maturing 
qualities,  365;  measurements,  364; 
milk  for  cheese,  372;  as  milk  pro- 
ducers, 368;  native  home,  354;  or- 
ganizations for  promoting,  382 ; 
origin  of  name,  358;  prepotency, 
366;  prices,  379;  prolificacy,  365; 
semiofficial  yearly  butter-fat  records, 
371;  semiofficial  yearly  milk  rec- 
ords, 369 ;  size,  363 ;  ten  leading 
sires,  379;  types,  361 

Holstein-Friesian  oxen,  367 

Honest  Tom,  156 

Horns  a  protection  to  Dorset  Horn 
sheep,  595 

Horse,  action  of  draft,  94;  action  of 
heavy  harness,  67;  action  of  light 
harness,  43;  American  Saddle,  31; 
Arab,  7 ;  arms  and  forearms  of  light 
harness,  41 ;  in  Belgium,  influence  of 
World  War  on,  133 ;  body  of  light 
harness,  41 ;  cannons  of  light 
harness,  41 ;  characteristics  of  Amer- 
ican saddle,  33;  characteristics  of 
Belgian  draft,  125;  characteristics  of 
French  Coach,  79;  characteristics  of 
German  Coach,  83 ;  characteristics 
of  Percheron,  104;  characteristics  of 
Suffolk,  162 ;  color  of  American 
saddle,  34;  color  of  Belgian,  126; 
color  of  prehistoric,  5 ;  color  of  Suf- 
folk, 164;  discovery  of  American 
prehistoric,  i ;  distinct  breeds  of 
French  draft,  118;  distribution  of 
French  Coach,  80;  distribution  of 
German  Coach,  84;  distribution 
of  Percheron,  114;  distribution  of 
standard-bred,  63;  distribution  of 
Suffolk,  1 66 ;  early  history  of  Suffolk, 
60;  in  England  prior  to  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  17;  evolution  of, 
2 ;  foot  of  light  harness,  41 ;  general 
appearance  of  heavy  harness,  64; 
general  conformation  of  draft,  89; 
head  of  light  harness,  40;  height  of 
draft,  89;  hindquarters  of  light 
harness,  42 ;  history  of  English  trot- 
ting, 44;  history  of  modern  Suf- 
folk, 161;  influence  of  Arab,  n; 


INDEX 


809 


introduction  of  Belgian,  to  America, 
124;  light  harness,  40;  link  between 
prehistoric  and  modern,  6 ;  man  and 
the  prehistoric,  6 ;  modern  Shire,  151 ; 
money  paid  for  standard-bred,  61 ; 
native  home  of  Belgian,  121;  native 
home  of  Clydesdale,  134;  native 
home  of  German  Coach,  82 ;  native 
home  of  Percheron,  95 ;  native  home 
of  Suffolk,  160;  neck  of  light 
harness,  40;  notable  Arabs,  13; 
notable  recent-day  Belgians,  130; 
organizations  for  promoting  the  Bel- 
gian, 131 ;  organizations  for  promot- 
ing the  Percheron,  115;  organizations 
for  promoting  the  Shire,  159;  origin 
of  French  Coach,  79 ;  Park,  68 ;  pas- 
terns of  light  harness,  41 ;  prices 
for  Belgian,  131 ;  prices  for  Suf- 
folk, 167;  production  of,  in  Bel- 
gium, 121 ;  promotion  of  Suffolk, 
167;  shoulders  of  light  harness,  40; 
size  of  American  saddle,  33 ;  sound- 
ness of  Shire,  156;  subclasses  of 
heavy  harness,  68;  tracing  the  evo- 
lution of,  4;  two  ancient  breeds  in 
Belgium,  121;  type  of  heavy  harness, 
64;  type  of  German  Coach,  83; 
value  of  Thoroughbred,  in  develop- 
ing American  saddle,  32;  very  early 
history  of  Shire,  148;  weight  of 
draft,  89;  world- wide  distribution 
of,  in  prehistoric  times,  i 

Horse  associations,  American  Per- 
cheron, 116;  German  Coach,  84; 
National  French  Draft,  120 

Horse  breeding,  in  England,  special 
region  of  Shire,  148;  in  Germany, 
early  records  of,  82 ;  methods  em- 
ployed by  Belgian  government  to 
encourage,  122 

Horse  racing,  in  Great  Britain,  18;  in 
France,  78 

Humphrey,  William,  576 

Hybrid,  mule  a,  192 

Immunity   of  Mule-Foot   to   cholera, 

760 
Importation  to  America,  of  Corriedale, 

657;  of  milch  goat,  681 ;  Improved 

Black-Top  Spanish  Merino,  513 ;  of 

Thoroughbred,  24 

Improved  Chester  White,  the  Ohio,  740 
Improved  Essex,  establishment  of,  774 
Improvement,  of  Duroc- Jersey,  709; 

early,    of   Hampshire    Down,    576; 


early,  of  Percheron,  97;  of  Essex, 
774;  first,  of  Leicester,  618;  first,  of 
native  Berkshire,  690;  and  protec- 
tion of  cattle  "on  Guernsey,  387 ; 
of  Rambouillet,  520;  of  Tamworth, 
792 

Improvers,  earliest,  of  Aberdeen-Angus, 
280;  distinguished  early,  of  Short- 
horn, 208;  early,  of  Ayrshire,  413; 
early,  of  Devon,  473 ;  early,  of  Large 
Yorkshire,  784;  early,  of  Poland- 
China,  724;  early  foundation,  of 
Merino  in  America,  497;  important 
early,  of  Southdown,  537;  two  early 
prominent,  of  Shropshire,  554 

Indian  ponies,  mustangs,  or  bronchos, 
173 

Infantado  Merinos,  492 

Interest  family,  the  Financial-,  340 

Interest  family,  the  Owl-,  346 

Introduction  to  America,  of  Aberdeen- 
Angus,  283;  of  Angora  goat,  667; 
of  Ayrshire,  414;  of  Berkshire,  693; 
of  Black-faced  Highland,  652;  of 
Brown  Swiss,  464;  of  Cheviot,  599; 
of  Cleveland  Bay,  85;  of  Cotswold, 
629;  of  Devon,  475;  of  Dexter,  442; 
of  Dorset  Horn,  587;  of  Dutch 
Belted,  428;  of  Essex,  775;  of  Gal- 
loway, 302 ;  of  German  Coach,  82 ; 
of  Guernsey,  389 ;  of  Hackney,  72 ; 
of  Hampshire  Down  sheep,  578;  of 
Hampshire  pig,  751;  of  Hereford, 
256;  of  Holstein-Friesian,  358;  of 
jack,  188;  of  Jersey,  327;  of  Kara- 
kul, 660;  of  Large  Black,  762; 
of  Large  Yorkshire,  784;  of  Leices- 
ter, 620;  of  Lincoln,  637;  of  Merino, 
495;  of  Mule-Foot,  759;  of  Oxford 
Down,  568;  of  Percheron,  102;  of 
Rambouillet,  521;  of  Red  Polled, 
452;  of  Shropshire,  555;  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  770;  of  Southdown,  540; 
of  Suffolk  sheep,  607 ;  of  Tamworth, 
793;  of  Tunis,  613;  of  West  High- 
land, 311 

Irish  grazier  as  a  factor  in  Poland- 
China  history,  723 

Isabella  tribe,  215 

Island-bred  families,  339 

Island-bred  Jersey  sires,  comparison 
of  native  with,  348; 

Island  of  Jersey,  323 

Jacks,  American,  185;  Andalusian, 
183;  associations  promoting  jennets 


8io 


INDEX 


and,  191 ;  Catalonian,  183 ;  color, 
187;  distribution  in  America,  191; 
height,  187;  introduction  to  Am- 
erica, 1 88;  Majorca,  184;  Maltese, 
184;  noted,  in  America,  189;  Poitou, 
185;  prices,  190 

Jeffries,  Thomas,  256 

Jennets,  associations  promoting  jacks 
and,  191 ;  distribution  of,  in  America, 
191 

Jersey,  323;  legislation  protecting  pu- 
rity of  cattle  on,  325 

Jersey  cattle,  adaptability,  330;  Amer- 
ican families,  341 ;  authenticated 
butter-fat  tests,  336;  as  beef  pro- 
ducer, 332  ;  bulls  of  distinction,  346; 
characteristics,  327;  color,  328;  com- 
parison of  native  sires  with  Island- 
bred,  348;  crossing  or  grading,  332; 
distribution,  351 ;  early  maturity, 
330;  families  of  distinction, 
339;  important  foundation  sires, 
346;  improvement  of,  in  England, 
326;  improvement  of  old  type,  325; 
introduction  to  America,  327;  lead- 
ing imported  bulls,  349;  leading 
sires,  347;  milk  in  cheese  produc- 
tion, 338;  milk  records,  334;  or- 
ganizations promoting,  351 ;  origin, 
324;  Polled,  353;  prepotency,  332; 
prices,  349;  private  butter  tests,  335; 
as  producer  of  milk-fat,  334;  as 
producer  of  milk,  332;  prolificacy 
and  vitality,  331;  sires  of  private- 
test  offspring,  347 ;  sires  of  register- 
of-merit  offspring,  347;  size,  329; 
temperament  and  disposition,  331; 
ten  leading,  in  butter-fat  tests  for 
one  year,  337 

Jersey  Red  pig,  706 ;  characteristics,  707 

Jilt  family,  296 

Jockey  Club,  French,  79 

Johanna  family,  375 

Jupiter,  130 

Karakul  sheep,  660;  characteristics. 
661 ;  crossbred  or  grade,  662 ;  distri- 
bution, 665;  fecundity,  664;  fleece, 
661 ;  fur  of  lamb,  662 ;  hardiness, 
664;  introduction  to  America,  660; 
market  value  of  furs,  663 ;  mutton, 
663;  native  home,  660;  origin,  660 
Keillor,  Hugh  Watson  of,  280 
Kerry  cattle,  438;  characteristics,  438; 
crossbreeding,  439;  distribution,  440; 
grazing  value,  440;  hardy  character, 


439;  introduction  to  America,  438; 

maturing   characteristics,  439;   milk 

producer,   440;    native   home,   438; 

organizations    for    promoting,   441 ; 

origin,  438 ;  prepotency,  439 
Kiang,  Asiatic  Wild  ass  or,  182 
Killer,  Large  Yorkshire  pig  as,  789 
Korndyke  family,  375 
Kyloe,  311 

Lactation  of  goat,  period  of,  682 

Lady  Maynard  tribe,  662 

Lady  tribe,  211 

Lamb,  fur  of  Karakul,  662 

Lard,  or  American,  type  of  pig,  683 ; 
temperament,  687 

Large  Black  pig,  762;  characteristics, 
762;  distribution,  764;  as  feeder, 
763 ;  as  grazer,  763 ;  introduction  to 
America,  762 ;  native  home,  762 ; 
origin,  762;  popularity,  764;  pro- 
lificacy, 764 ;  promotion,  765 ;  qual- 
ity of  meat,  763 ;  size,  763 

Large  Yorkshire  pig,  782 ;  ancestry, 
782 ;  characteristics,  785 ;  color,  786 ; 
crossbreds,  787;  distribution,  791; 
early  improvers,  784 ;  as  feeder,  789 ; 
as  grazer,  789 ;  introduction  to 
United  States,  784;  as  killer,  789; 
maturity,  787;  popularity,  790;  pro- 
lificacy, 790 ;  reputation  of,  as  bacon 
producer,  788;  size,  786;  type,  786 

Lavender  tribe,  220 

Legislation  protecting  purity  of  cattle 
on  Jersey,  325 

Leicester  rams  on  Cheviot  ewes, 
Border,  626 

Leicester  sheep,  618;  Border,  624; 
breeding  qualities,  624;  character- 
istics of  Border,  625;  characteristics 
of  English,  621;  crossbred  or  grade, 
623;  distribution,  627;  first  improve- 
ment of,  618;  as  grazer,  624;  intro- 
duction to  America,  620;  as  mutton 
producer,  622;  native  home,  618; 
organizations  in  behalf  of,  627; 
origin,  61 8;  prices,  626;  size,  622; 
as  wool  producer,  624 

Leicester  Sheep  Breeders,  Society  of 
Border,  627 

Leonese,  489 

Light  harness  horse,  action,  43 ;  arms 
and  forearms,  41 ;  body,  41 ;  cannons, 
41;  foot,  41;  head,  40;  hind  quar- 
ters, 42;  neck,  40;  pasterns,  41; 
shoulders,  40;  type,  40 


INDEX 


8n 


Limestone  Mammoth,  190 

Lincoln  sheep,  636;  breeding  quality, 
642  ;  characteristics,  638 ;  crossbred 
or  grade,  640;  distribution,  644;  as 
feeder,  640;  as  grazer,  642;  intro- 
duction to  America,  637;  native 
home,  636;  origin,  636;  prices,  643; 
promotion,  645;  quality  of  mutton, 
639;  size,  638;  as  wool  producer, 
642 

Lincolnshire  Lad  II,  156 

Lockinge  Forest  King,  158 

Longevity  and  fecundity  of  Suffolks, 
105 

Louis  Napoleon,  103 

Lovely  tribe,  221 

McCombie,  William,  282 

Majorca  jack,  184 

Maltese  goat,  676 

Maltese  jack,  184 

Mambrino  family,  52 

Mammoth,  189 

March  On  family,  267 

Mares,  list  of  famous  trotting  or  pac- 
ing brood,  56;  noteworthy  Amer- 
ican saddle-horse,  38 

Martin's  Boxer  strain,  161 

Masher  family,  404 

Matchem,  20 

Materna  family,  405 

Maturity,  of  Aberdeen-Angus,  287; 
of  Berkshire,  698 ;  of  Chester  White, 
744;  of  Duroc- Jersey,  713;  early, 
of  American  Merino,  505;  early, 
of  Ayrshire,  417;  early,  of  Hamp- 
shire pig,  755;  early,  of  Hereford, 
262;  early,  of  Jersey,  330;  early  of 
Poland-China,  728;  early,  of  Ram- 
bouillet,  529;  early,  of  Shorthorn, 
239;  early,  of  Small  Yorkshire,  772; 
early,  of  Shropshire,  560;  of  Essex, 
777;,  of  French  Canadian,  436;  of 
Guernsey,  393  ;  of  Holstein-Friesian, 
365;  of  Kerry,  439;  of  Tamworth, 

795 

May  Rose  family,  405 

Meat,  quality  o'f  Cheshire,  768;  qual- 
ity of  Essex,  776;  quality  of  Large 
Black,  763;  quality  of  Mule-Foot, 
760;  quality  of  Poland-China,  728; 
quality  of  Small  Yorkshire,  772 

Meat  producer,  Galloway  as,  304; 
Hereford  as,  261 

Meire,  Samuel,  554 

Mercury,  130 


Merino,  or  fine-wool  type  of  sheep, 
481;  A-type,  482;  adaptability  of 
American,  505;  Aguirre,  491 ;  Amer- 
ican, 488;  American,  as  wool 
producer,  501;  annual  drives  in 
Spain,  489 ;  Australian,  494 ;  Austra- 
lia's popular  type  of,  500;  B-Type, 
482;  Black-Top  Spanish,  513;  breed- 
ing qualities  of  American,  505 ; 
breeding,  three  types,  483;  charac- 
teristics of  American,  498;  crossbred 
or  grade,  503 ;  Delaine,  511 ;  distribu- 
tion, 509;  distribution  of  Delaine, 
519;  early  foundation  improvers  in 
America,  497;  early-maturing  qual- 
ities of  American,  505 ;  English,  494 ; 
Escurial,  491 ;  exportation  from 
Spain,  492 ;  fineness  of  fiber,  502 ; 
general  conformation,  481 ;  German 
or  Silesian,  493  ;  Guadaloupe,  491 ; 
important  subtypes  of  families,  505 ; 
Infantado,  492 ;  introduction  to 
United  States,  495;  line  of  demar- 
cation in,  483 ;  mania  for,  497 ; 
maintenance  of  Delaine  or  C-type, 
516;  modern  type  of,  in  Australia, 
499 ;  the  more  general  characteristics 
pf,  484;  mutton  qualities  of  Amer- 
ican, 503;  mutton  value  of  Delaine 
or  C-type,  517;  national  Delaine, 
514 ;  native  home,  488 ;  Negretti,  491 ; 
origin,  488;  origin  of  Delaine,  511; 
Paular,  490;  promotion,  510;  pro- 
motion of  Delaine,  519;  reduction  of 
flocks  in  Spain,  492 ;  ratio  of  fleece 
to  weight  of  body,  502 ;  remark- 
able prices,  508;  Saxon,  493;  size 
of  American,  500;  some  famous 
rams,  506;  Swedish,  493;  three 
classes  or  types,  481 ;  wool,  487,  503 

Merino  show-ring  victory,  a  notable 
American,  507 

Merit,  Register  of,  336 

Mesohippus,  4 

Messenger,  45 

Methods  employed  by  Belgian  govern- 
ment to  encourage  horse  breeding,  122 

Middle  White  pigs,  791 

Milch  goat,  673;  age  attained  by,  680; 
fecundity,  682 ;  importation  to 
America,  68 1 ;  official  promotion, 
682  ;  prices,  682  ;  weight,  680 

Milk,  Aberdeen-Angus  as  producer  of, 
288;  of  Ayrshire  for  cheese-making, 
422  ;  of  Ayrshire  as  producer  of,  419 ; 
Brown  Swiss  as  producer  of,  468; 


812 


INDEX 


characteristics  of  goat's,  673 ;  cheese 
value  of  Guernsey,  401 ;  cost  of  pro- 
ducing goat's,  680;  Devon  as  pro- 
ducer of,  477;  Dexter  as  producer 
of,  495;  Dutch  Belted  as  producer 
of,  430;  French  Canadian  as  pro- 
ducer of,  435 ;  Galloway  as  producer 
of,  306 ;  goat  as  source  of,  673 ; 
Guernsey  as  producer  of,  398;  of 
Holstein-Friesian  for  cheese,  372; 
Holstein-Friesian  as  producer  of, 
368;  of  Jersey  in  cheese  production, 
338;  Jersey  as  producer  of,  332; 
Kerry  as  producer  of,  440;  Red 
Polled  as  producer  of,  455 

Milk-producing  goats,  breeds  or  va- 
rieties of,  674 

Milk  records,  of  Guernsey,  398;  of 
Jersey,  334;  semi-official  yearly 
Holstein-Friesian,  369 ;  of  Short- 
horn, 237;  ten  leading  Ayrshire,  420 

Milk  veins,  321 

Milking  qualities  of  West  Highland 
cattle,  314 

Mimulus  tribe,  221 

Mine  mules,  196 

Miss  Russell,  57 

Mohair,  668;  prices,  669 

Money  winnings  on  the  race  track,  61 

Morgan  family,  53 

Moss  Rose  tribe  of  Booth,  217 

Motor  on  Hackney  breeding,  effect  of 
the,  77 

Mule,  192;  best  type,  197;  as  car- 
riage or  saddle  animal,  199;  charac- 
teristics, 194;  color,  197;  draft,  195; 
endurance,  197;  farm,  196;  geo- 
graphical distribution,  193 ;  history, 
193;  a  hybrid,  192;  market  classes, 
195;  mine,  196;  plantation,  195; 
Poitou,  196;  prices,  199;  raising  in 
United  States,  194;  resistance  to 
disease,  198;  sex,  192;  sterility,  192; 
temperament,  197;  weight,  194 

Mule-Foot  pig,  759;  characteristics, 
759 ;  distribution,  761 ;  feeding 
qualities,  760;  immunity  from  chol- 
era, 760;  introduction  to  America, 
759;  name,  759;  native  home,  759; 
prepotency,  760;  prolificacy,  760; 
promotion,  761 ;  quality  of  meat, 
760;  size,  760 

Mustangs,  bronchos,  or  Indian  ponies, 
i73 

Mutton,  American  Merino  as  producer 
°f>  503;  Angora  as  producer  of, 


670;  Cheviot  as  producer  of,  601 ; 
Corriedale  as  producer  of,  658; 
Cotswold  as  producer  of,  631;  Dor- 
set Horn  as  producer  of,  590;  gen- 
eral conformation  for,  533 ;  Hamp- 
shire Down  as  producer  of,  580; 
Leicester  as  producer  of,  622;  qual- 
ity of  Black-faced  Highland,  653; 
quality  of  Lincoln,  639;  quality  of 
Romney  Marsh,  648;  quality  of 
Southdown,  545;  Rambouillet  as 
producer  of,  537;  Shropshire  as  pro- 
ducer of,  558;  Suffolk  as  producer 
of,  609;  Tunis  as  producer  of,  615; 
value  of  Delaine  or  C-type  Merino 
for,  517;  value  of  Karakul  for,  663 
Mutton-type  sheep,  533;  skin,  535; 
wool,  535 

Name,  of  Chester  White,  738;  of  Hol- 
stein-Friesian, 358;  of  Mule-Foot, 
759;  of  Poland-China,  723 

National  Delaine  Merino,  514 

National  French  Draft  horse  associa- 
tion, 1 20 

Neapolitan  pig,  691 

Neck  of  light  harness  horse,  40 

Negretti  Merinos,  491 

Netherland  family,  376 

New  Forest  pony,  171 

Nivernais,  119 

Nonpareil  tribe,  221 

Norfolk  Red  Polled  cattle,  451 ;  amal- 
gamation of  Suffolk  and,  452 

North  America,  importation  of  Cor- 
riedale sheep  into,  657 

Nosegay  family,  296 

Nubian  goat,  677 

Ohio  Importing  Company,  224 

Ohio  Improved  Chester  White  pig,  740 

Old  Grannie,  281 

Old  Jack,  281 

Orange  ist,  130;  Orange  Blossom,  or 
Fancy,  tribe,  221 

Organization,  Cheviot  sheep  breeders', 
606;  Aberdeen-Angus,  299;  Ayr- 
shire, 426;  Belgian  horse,  131; 
Berkshire,  704 ;  Chester  White,  748 ; 
Cleveland  Bay ;  87 ;  Clydesdale,  147 ; 
Devon,  478;  Dorset  Horn  Sheep 
breeders',  596;  Duroc- Jersey,  718; 
Galloway,  309;  Guernsey,  411; 
Hampshire,  758 ;  Holstein-Friesian, 
382;  Jersey,  351;  Kerry,  441;  Lei- 
cester, 627;  Lincoln,  645;  Percheron, 


INDEX 


813 


115;  Poland-China,  734;  Red  Polled, 
461;  Shetland  pony,  181;  Short- 
horn, 245;  Suffolk  sheep,  612;  Tarn- 
worth,  798;  West  Highland  cattle 
breeders',  316 

Oriental  horses,  three  early,  19 

Origin,  of  Aberdeen- Angus,  279;  of 
Angora  goat,  666;  of  Black-faced 
Highland,  651;  of  Brown  Swiss, 
463 ;  of  Cheshire,  766 ;  of  Cheviot, 
597;  of  Cleveland  Bay,  85;  of  Cor- 
riedale,  655 ;  of  Delaine  Merino, 
511;  of  Devon,  473;  of  Dexter, 
442 ;  of  Dorset  Horn,  586 ;  of 
Duroc- Jersey,  708 ;  of  Dutch  Belted, 
428;  of  Dutch  cattle,  355;  of  French 
Canadian,  434 ;  of  French  Coach,  79 ; 
of  Galloway,  300;  of  Guernsey,  385; 
of  Hampshire  Down  sheep,  575;  of 
Hereford,  252 ;  of  Improved  Chester 
White,  739;  of  Jersey,  324;  of  Kara- 
kul, 660;  of  Kerry,  438;  of  Large 
Black,  762;  of  Leicester,  618;  of 
Lincoln,  636;  of  Merino,  488;  of 
Oxford  Down,  566;  of  Percheron, 
95;  of  Poland-China,  720;  of  Polled 
Hereford,  275;  real,  of  Shire,  149; 
of  Red  Polled,  450;  of  Shorthorn, 
207;  of  Shropshire,  551;  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  770;  of  Suffolk,  607;  of 
Thoroughbred,  21 ;  of  Tunis,  613  ;  of 
West  Highland,  311 

Orohippus,  3 

Oxen,  Devon,  478;  Holstein-Friesian, 
367 

Oxford  Down  sheep,  566;  character- 
istics, 568;  crossbred  or  grade, 
571;  distribution,  573;  as  feeder, 
570;  introduction  to  America,  568; 
native  home,  566 ;  origin,  566 ;  prices, 
572;  prolific  quality,  572;  promo- 
tion, 574;  size,  570;  as  wool  pro- 
ducer, 572 

Oxford  family,  340 

Oxford  tribe,  213 

Owl-Interest  family,  346 

Pace,    35,    47;    interchangeable    with 

trot,  48 
Pacer,  American,  44,  46 ;  number  with 

records,  61 

Pacing  brood  mares,  list  of  famous,  56 
Pacing  horses,  leading  sires,  58 
Pacing  standard,  50 
Packington  Blind  Horse,  156 
Park  horse,  68 


Pasterns  of  light  harness  horse,  41 

Paular  Merinos,  490 

Pauline  Paul  family,  377 

Percheron  horse,  95;  American  asso- 
ciations for,  116;  characteristics, 
104;  color,  106;  crossbred  or  grade, 
108;  deterioration,  100;  distribution, 
114;  early  type,  99;  famous  sires, 
no;  futurity  shows,  112;  geldings, 
113;  improvement  of  early,  97; 
improvement  of,  in  France,  102 ;  in- 
troduction to  United  States,  102 ; 
leading  shows,  in;  maturing  qual- 
ity, 107;  native  home,  95;  organi- 
zations for  promoting,  115;  origin, 
95;  prices,  112;  prolificacy,  109; 
temperament,  107;  type  of,  about 
1877,  100;  weight  and  height,  106 

Perfection  family,  268 

Persian  Wild  ass,  182 

Picardy,  120 

Pietertje  family,  376 

Pig,  adaptability  of  Hampshire,  755; 
American,  or  lard,  type  of,  683 ;  an- 
cestry of  Large  Yorkshire,  782; 
bacon,  778;  bacon,  demand  in  Am- 
erica for,  781 ;  bacon,  weight  of, 
780;  Bedford  or  Bedfordshire,  721; 
Belted  or  sheeted,  750;  Berkshire, 
689 ;  Berkshire  as  grazer,  697 ;  Berk- 
shire as  source  of  red,  706 ;  Big 
China,  722;  Byfield,  722;  character- 
istics of  Berkshire,  694;  character- 
istics of  Cheshire,  767;  characteristics 
of  Chester  White,  741 ;  character- 
istics of  Duroc- Jersey,  709;  charac- 
teristics of  Essex,  775 ;  characteristics 
of  Hampshire,  753 ;  characteristics 
of  Large  Black,  762 ;  characteristics 
of  Large  Yorkshire,  785 ;  character- 
istics of  Mule-Foot,  759;  character- 
istics of  Poland-China,  725;  charac- 
teristics of  Small  Yorkshire,  771 ; 
characteristics  of  Spotted  Poland- 
China,  736 ;  characteristics  of  Tarn- 
worth,  793;  Cheshire,  766;  Cheshire 
as  feeder,  768;  Cheshire  as  grazer, 
769;  Chester  White,  737;  color,  688; 
color  of  Hampshire,  754;  color  of 
Large  Yorkshire,  786;  criticisms 
of  Tamworth,  798 ;  distribution 
of  Berkshire,  704;  distribution 
of  Cheshire,  769 ;  distribution  pf 
Chester  White,  747;  distribution 
of  Duroc- Jersey,  718;  distribution 
of  Essex,  777;  distribution  of 


8i4 


INDEX 


Hampshire,  757;  distribution  of 
Large  Black,  764;  distribution  of 
Large  Yorkshire,  791 ;  distribution 
of  Mule-Foot,  761 ;  distribution  of 
Small  Yorkshire,  773  ;  distribution  of 
Tamworth,  798;  Duroc,  707;  Duroc- 
Jersey,  705 ;  early  history  of  Hamp- 
shire, 749 ;  early  improvers  of  Large 
Yorkshire,  784;  Essex,  774;  fecun- 
dity of  Tamworth,  797;  feeding 
qualities  of  Mule-Foot,  760 ;  fleshing 
and  fattening  quality,  687;  general 
appearance,  683 ;  Guinea,  705 ;  hair 
of,  687 ;  Hampshire,  749 ;  Hampshire 
as  feeder,  755 ;  Hampshire  as  grazer, 
755;  improvement  of  Duroc-Jersey, 
709 ;  Large  Black,  762 ;  Large  York- 
shire, 782;  maturity  of  Hampshire, 
755 ;  maturity  of  Large  Yorkshire, 
787 ;  Middle  White,  791 ;  most 
valued  type  of,  in  United  States,  683  ; 
Mule-Foot,  759;  native  home  of 
Cheshire,  766 ;  native  home  of  Large 
Black,  762  ;  Neapolitan,  691 ;  organi- 
zations promoting  Berkshire,  704; 
organizations  promoting  Chester 
White,  748 ;  organizations  promoting 
Hampshire,  758;  organizations  pro- 
moting Poland-China,  734 ;  origin  of 
Duroc-Jersey,  708;  origin  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  770;  Poland-China,  720; 
popularity  of  Cheshire,  769;  popu- 
larity of  Essex,  777;  popularity  of 
Large  Black,  764;  Portuguese,  705; 
prices  of  Berkshire,  703;  prices  of 
Chester  White,  746 ;  prices  of  Duroc- 
Jersey,  717;  prices  of  Hampshire, 
757;  prices  of  Poland-China,  732; 
prolificacy  of  Duroc-Jersey,  715; 
prolificacy  of  Large  Black,  764 ;  pro- 
motion of  Essex,  777;  promotion  of 
Large  Black,  765;  promotion  of 
Small  Yorkshire,  773;  quality  of 
meat  of  Large  Black,  763 ;  red  or 
sandy-colored,  705;  Russian,  721; 
Siamese,  690;  size  of  Berkshire,  696; 
size  of  Cheshire,  767 ;  size  of  Chester 
White,  742;  size  of  Duroc-Jersey, 
711;  size  of  Essex,  776;  size  of 
Hampshire,  755 ;  size  of  Large  Black, 
763;  size  of  Large  Yorkshire,  786; 
size  of  Mule-Foot,  760;  size  of 
Poland-China,  726;  size  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  772 ;  size  of  Tamworth, 
794;  Small  Yorkshire  as  feeder,  772  ; 
Spanish  Red,  705;  Tamworth,  792; 


Tamworth  as  bacon,  795;  tempera- 
ment of  lard  type,  687 

Pilot  family,  55 

Plantation  mules,  195 

Pliohippus,  4 

Poitou  jack,  185 

Poitou  mule,  196 

Poland-China  pig,  720;  adaptability, 
728;  adoption  of  name,  723;  the 
Berkshire  as  an  element  in  evolution 
of,  722;  characteristics,  725;  color, 
725;  crossbred  or  grade,  729;  dis- 
tribution, 734;  early  improvers,  724; 
early-maturing  qualities,  728;  fam- 
ilies and  foundation  sows,  731 ;  as 
feeder,  727;  foundation  stock,  720; 
as  grazer,  727;  Irish  Grazier  a  factor 
in  history  of,  723;  native  home,  720; 
organizations  promoting,  734;  origin, 
720;  prepotency,  731;  quality  of 
meat,  728;  prices,  732;  prolificacy, 
729;  sires  of  distinction,  731;  size, 
726;  Spotted,  736 

Polled  Durham,  "  single  standard,"  247 

Polled  Hereford  cattle,  275;  distribu- 
tion, 277;  origin,  275;  prices,  277; 
promotion,  277;  two  strains  of,  276; 
type,  276 

Polled  Jersey  cattle,  353 

Polled  Shorthorn  cattle,  247 ;  distribu- 
tion, 250;  "double  standard,"  247; 
important  requirements  for  register- 
ing, 249;  origin,  247;  popularity, 
249;  prepotency,  249;  prices,  250; 
promotion  of  interests,  251;  tribes, 
248 

Polo  pony ,-174 

Pony,  168;  Arab,  173;  Connemara, 
172;  Dartmoor,  170;  Exmoor,  170; 
Hackney,  173;  Highland,  172;  In- 
dian (mustangs  and  bronchos),  173; 
New  Forest,  171;  Polo,  174;  Shet- 
land, 175  (see  Shetland  pony); 
Welsh,  168;  definition,  168 

Popularity,  of  Devon  in  America,  479 ; 
of  Dutch  Belted,  433;  of  Essex,  777; 
of  Large  Black,  764 ;  of  Large  York- 
shire, 790;  of  Small  Yorkshire,  773 

Pork,  of  Berkshire,  699;  of  Chester 
White,  744;  of  Duroc-Jersey,  714; 
of  Hampshire,  755 

Portuguese  pigs,  705 

Prehistoric  horse,  i ;  color,  5 ;  man  and 
the,  6;  and  modern  horse,  link  be- 
tween, 6 

Premier,  156 


INDEX 


815 


Prepotency,  of  Ayrshire,  417;  of  Berk- 
shire, 702 ;  of  Brown  Swiss,  467 ; 
of  Chester  White,  746;  of  Duroc- 
Jersey,  716;  of  Galloway,  308;  of 
Hereford,  263;  of  Holstein-Friesian, 
366;  of  Jersey,  332;  of  Kerry,  439; 
of  Mule-Foot  pig,  760;  of  Poland- 
China,  731 ;  of  Polled  Shorthorn, 
249;  of  Red  Polled,  459;  of  Short- 
horn, 240 

Price  of  Ryall,  John,  254 

Prices,  for  Aberdeen-Angus,  297,  298; 
for  American  saddle  horse,  38;  for 
Angora  goat,  671 ;  for  Ayrshire,  424; 
for  Belgian  horse,  131 ;  for  Berk- 
shire, 703 ;  for  Black-faced  High- 
land, 654;  for  Chester  White,  746; 
for  Cheviot,  604;  for  Clydesdale, 
145 ;  for  Corriedale,  659 ;  for  Cots- 
wold,  635;  for  Dexter,  445;  for 
Duroc- Jersey,  717;  for  Galloway, 
309;  for  Guernsey,  408;  for  Hamp- 
shire Down  sheep,  583  ;  for  Hereford, 
271;  for  Holstein-Friesian,  379; 
for  jack,  190;  for  Jersey,  349;  for 
Leicester,  626 ;  for  Lincoln,  643 ;  for 
Merino,  508 ;  for  milch  goat,  682  ;  for 
mohair  669;  for  mule,  199;  for  Ox- 
ford Down,  572  ;  for  Percheron,  112  ; 
for  Poland-China,  732 ;  for  Polled 
Hereford,  277;  for  Polled  Shorthorn, 
250;  for  Rambouillet,  530;  for  Rom- 
ney  Marsh,  649;  for  Shetland  pony, 
181 ;  for  Shire,  158;  for  Shorthorn, 
241 ;  for  Shropshire,  562  ;  for  South- 
down, 548;  for  standard-bred,  61; 
for  Suffolk  horse,  167;  for  Suffolk 
sheep,  611;  for  Thoroughbred,  29 

Pride  family,  294 

Pride  of  Aberdeen  family,  294 

Prime  Lad  family,  269 

Prime  Scots,  305 

Prince  of  Wales,  142 

Prince  William,  157 

Princess  Tribe,  210 

Private-test  offspring,  Jersey  sires  of, 
347 

Prolificacy,  of  Aberdeen-Angus,  288; 
of  Berkshire,  701 ;  of  Chester  White, 
745;  of  Cheviot,  603;  of  Clydes- 
dale, 139;  of  Dorset  Horn,  592;  of 
Duroc- Jersey,  715;  of  Guernsey, 
3955  of  Hampshire  pig,  756;  of 
Hereford,  264;  of  Holstein-Friesian, 
365;  of  Jersey,  331 ;  of  Large  Black, 
764;  of  Large  Yorkshire,  790;  of 


Mule-Foot,  760;  of  Oxford  Down, 
572;  of  Percheron,  109;  of  Poland- 
China,  729;  of  Red  Polled,  459;  of 
Shorthorn,  240 

Promotion,  of  Aberdeen-Angus,  299; 
of  Black-faced  Highland,  654;  of 
Brown  Swiss,  472 ;  of  Corriedale, 
659;  of  Delaine  Merino  sheep,  519; 
of  Duroc-Jersey,  718;  of  Dutch 
Belted,  432 ;  of  Essex,  777;  of  Hack- 
ney, 77;  of  Hereford,  274;  of  Hol- 
stein-Friesian, 382;  of  Kerry,  441; 
of  Large  Black,  765;  of  Merino, 
510;  of  milch  goat,  682;  of  Mule- 
Foot,  761 ;  official,  of  Dexter,  446 ; 
of  Oxford  Down,  574;  of  Polled 
Hereford,  277;  of  pure  French 
Canadian,  437 ;  of  Rambouillet,  532  ; 
of  Romney  Marsh,  650;  of  Shrop- 
shire, 564;  of  Small  Yorkshire,  773; 
of  Southdown,  550;  of  standard- 
bred  horse,  63 ;  of  Tamworth,  798 

Protohippus,  4 

Protorohippus,  3 

Provincial  flocks  of  Spain,  490 

Quality,  of  beef  animal,  205;  of  dairy 

type,  322 

Quartly,  Francis,  473 
Queen    Elizabeth,    horse    in    England 

prior  to  reign  of,  17 
Queen  Mother  family,  293 

Racing,  in  America,  44,  61,  62;  in 
France,  78,  80;  in  Great  Britain, 
18 

Rack,  the,  35 

Rambouillet  sheep,  520;  breeding 
qualities,  529;  characteristics,  524; 
crossbred  or  grade,  528;  distribu- 
tion, 532;  early  maturity,  529; 
French  Merinos,  or,  494;  hardiness, 
529;  improvement,  520;  introduc- 
tion to  the  United  States,  521;  as 
mutton  producer,  527;  native  home, 
520;  prices,  530;  promotion,  532; 
size,  526;  as  wool  producer,  527 

Rams,  famous  Merino,  506 

Range  sheep,  Cheviot  as,  602 ;  Leices- 
ter as  grazing  or,  624  • 

Rawlence,  James,  578 

Records,  of  Thoroughbreds  on  Amer- 
ican turf,  27;  butter-fat,  of  Ayr- 
shires,  421 ;  butter-fat,  of  Guernseys, 
400;  butter-fat,  of  Shorthorns,  238; 
early,  of  horse  breeding  in  Germany, 


8i6 


INDEX 


82 ;  milk,  of  Ayrshires,  420 ;  milk,  of 
Guernseys,  398;  milk,  of  Holstein- 
Friesians,  369 ;  milk,  of  Jerseys,  334 ; 
milk,  of  Shorthorns,  237;  speed,  of 
French  Coachers,  80;  trotters  and 
pacers  with,  61 ;  trotting  and 
pacing,  60 

Red,  or  sandy-colored,  pigs,  705 

Red  pigs,  Jersey,  706;  Spanish,  705 

Red  Polled  cattle,  450;  as  beef  pro- 
ducers, 455;  as  butter  producers, 
457;  as  milk  producers,  455;  char- 
acteristics, 453 ;  color,  454 ;  in  cross- 
ing and  grading,  458;  distribution, 
461;  groups  and  tribes,  460;  intro- 
duction to  America,  452;  native 
home,  450 ;  organizations  to  promote, 
461;  origin,  450;  prepotency,  459; 
prolificacy,  459;  sires,  460;  size, 
454;  temperament,  459 

Red  Rose  tribe,  211 

Red  swine,  Berkshire  as  source  of,  706 

Register  of  Merit,  336;  Jersey  sires 
represented  in,  347 

Register  of  production  of  Brown  Swiss 
cattle,  470 

Registry,  Advanced,  of  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  396 ;  of  Ayr- 
shire Breeders'  Association,  417 

Registering  Polled  Shorthorn  cattle,  re- 
quirements, 249 

Renovator  of  brush  land,  Angora  as, 
670 

Roadster,  40;  Cleveland  Bay  as,  87 

Romney  Marsh  sheep,  646 ;  crossbred, 
648;  distribution,  649;  early  type, 
646 ;  as  feeder,  648 ;  fleece,  649 ; 
modern  type,  647 ;  native  home,  646 ; 
prices,  649;  promotion,  650;  qual- 
ity of  mutton,  648;  size,  648 

Rose  of  Sharon,  213 

Rosette  family,  341 

Runabout,  the,  69 

Running  walk,  34 

Russian  pig,  721 

Saanen  goat,  676 

Saddle  animal,  mule  as  carriage  or,  199 

Saddle  horse  gaits,  34.    See  American 

saddle  horse 

St.  Lambert  family,  343 
Samson,  129 

Sandy-colored,  or  red,  pigs,  705 
Saxon  Merinos,  493 
Sayda  family,  345 
Scale  of  points,  early  Guernsey,  387 


Schwarzhal  goat,  679 

Scotland,  development  of  Shorthorn 
in,  217 

Scots,  prime,  305 

Secret  tribe  of  Cruickshank,  221 

Segis  family,  378 

Semiofficial  yearly  Holstein-Friesian 
records,  of  butter  fat,  371;  of  milk, 
369 

Sex  of  mule,  192 

Shadingfield  strain,  161 

Sheep,  Black-faced  Highland,  651 ; 
Border  Leicester,  024;  organizations 
of  Dorset  Horn  breeders,  596;  char- 
acteristics of  Black-faced  Highland, 
652;  characteristics  of  Cheviot, 
599 ;  characteristics  of  Corriedale, 
657;  characteristics  of  Cotswold, 
630;  characteristics  of  Dorset 
Horn,  588;  characteristics  of  early 
Southdown,  540;  characteristics  of 
English  Leicester,  621;  character- 
istics of  Hampshire  Down,  578; 
characteristics  of  Karakul,  66 1 ; 
characteristics  of  Lincoln,  638;  char- 
acteristics of  Oxford  Down,  568; 
characteristics  of  Rambouillet,  524; 
characteristics  of  Shropshire,  556; 
characteristics  of  Southdown,  541 ; 
characteristics  of  Suffolk,  608;  char- 
acteristics of  Tunis,  614;  Cheviot, 
597;  Corriedale,  655;  Cotswold,  628; 
crossbred  or  grade  Karakul,  662; 
distribution  of  Black-faced  High- 
land, 654;  distribution  of  Cheviot, 
605;  distribution  of  Corriedale, 
659;  distribution  of  Cotswold, 
635;  distribution  of  Dorset  Horn, 
595 ;  distribution  of  Hampshire 
Down,  585 ;  distribution  of  Karakul, 
665;  distribution  of  Leicester,  627; 
distribution  of  Lincoln,  644;  dis- 
tribution of  Merino,  509;  distribu- 
tion of  Oxford  Down,  573; 
distribution  of  Rambouillet,  532; 
distribution  of  Romney  Marsh,  649; 
distribution  of  Shropshire,  563;  dis- 
tribution of  Southdown,  550;  dis- 
tribution of  Suffolk,  612  ;  distribution 
of  Tunis,  617;  Dorset  Horn,  586; 
early  type  of  Romney  Marsh,  646; 
fleece  of  Corriedale,  658 ;  Hampshire 
Down,  575;  husbandry  in  Spain, 
488;  Karakul,  660;  Leicester,  618; 
Lincoln,  636 ;  Lincoln  as  grazer,  642 ; 
mania  for  Merino,  497;  Merino,  or 


INDEX 


817 


fine-wool  type,  481 ;  modern  type  of 
Romney  Marsh,  647;  mutton  type, 
533;  native  home  of  Lincoln,  636; 
native  home  of  Shropshire,  551 ; 
native  home  of  Southdown,  537;  of- 
ficial promotion  of  Corriedale,  659; 
official  promotion  of  Shropshire, 
564;  organizations  promoting  Lin- 
coln, 645 ;  origin  of  Corriedale,  655 ; 
original  stock  of  Southdown,  537; 
Oxford  Down,  566;  prices  for 
Cheviot,  604;  prices  for  Corriedale, 
659;  prices  for  Cotswold,  635;  prices 
for  Hampshire  Down,  583 ;  prices 
for  Oxford  Down,  572;  prices  for 
Rambouillet,  530;  prices  for  Shrop- 
shire, 562;  prices  for  Southdown, 
548;  prices  for  Suffolk,  611;  prolifi- 
cacy of  Dorset  Horn,  592  ;  promotion 
of  Cotswold,  635;  promotion  of 
Delaine  Merino,  519;  promotion  of 
Merino,  510;  promotion  of  Oxford 
Down,  574;  promotion  of  Rambou- 
illet, 532;  promotion  of  Romney 
Marsh,  650;  Rambouillet,  520; 
Romney  Marsh,  646;  Shropshire, 
55i;  size  of  Black-faced  Highland, 
653;  size  of  Cheviot,  600;  size  of 
Cotswold,  631 ;  size  of  Dorset  Horn, 
589;  size  of  Hampshire  Down,  580; 
size  of  Leicester,  622;  size  of  Lin- 
coln, 638;  size  of  Oxford  Down, 
S7o;  size  of  Rambouillet,  526;  size 
of  Romney  Marsh,  648;  size  of 
Shropshire,  557;  size  of  Southdown, 
543;  size  of  Suffolk,  609;  size  of 
Tunis,  615;  Southdown,  537;  Suf- 
folk, 607;  Tunis,  613;  two  great 
groups  of  Spanish,  489;  weight  of 
Corriedale,  658 

Sheeted  pig,  750 

Shelter  for  Angora  goat,  671 

Shetland  pony,  175;  ancestry,  175; 
characteristics,  177;  coat  of  hair, 
177;  color,  177;  distribution,  181 ; 
hardy  nature,  179;  height,  178;  im- 
provement, 178;  native  home,  175; 
notable^  sires,  179;  organizations  for 
promoting,  181 ;  prices,  181 ;  type, 
1 75, -i  76;  use  of,  in  America,  178; 
value  for  draft  purposes,  179 

Shire  horse,  148;  action,  153;  asso- 
ciations to  promote,  159;  character- 
istics, 152;  color,  154;  crossbred  or 
grade,  155;  different  varieties,  151; 
distribution,  158;  hairy  legs,  153; 


important  stallions,  156;  importa- 
tion to  America,  152 ;  improved  by 
Robert  Bakewell,  149;  modern,  151; 
old-fashioned  type,  150;  prices,  158; 
real  origin,  149;  size,  154;  sound- 
ness, 156;  special  field,  155;  special 
region  in  England  for  breeding,  148; 
temperament,  155;  very  early  his- 
tory, 148 

Shorthorn  cattle,  207;  adaptability, 
239;  as  beef  producers,  231;  breed- 
ers, less  prominent  early  English, 
217;  characteristics,  225;  color,  229; 
dairy  point  of  view,  235;  develop- 
ment of,  in  Scotland,  217;  dis- 
tinguished early  improvers,  208; 
distribution  of  Polled,  250;  double- 
standard  Polled,  247 ;  early  matur- 
ity, 239 ;  famous  recent,  241 ;  first 
importation  to  America,  224; 
geographical  distribution,  244 ; 
important  butter-fat  records,  238; 
important  milk  records,  237;  im- 
portant requirements  for  registering 
Polled,  249 ;  importance  of,  in  grad- 
ing and  crossing,  234;  native  home, 
207;  notable  recent  sires,  240;  offi- 
cial public-dairy  tests,  235 ;  organi- 
zations promoting,  245;  origin,  207; 
origin  of  Polled,  247 ;  Polled,  247 ; 
popularity  of  Polled,  249;  pre- 
potency of  Polled,  249 ;  prolificacy, 
240;  promotion  of  interests  of 
Polled,  251;  size,  230;  in  show  ring, 
232;  temperament,  239;  prices,  241; 
prices  for  Polled,  250 

Shoulders  of  light  harness  horse,  40 

Shows,  of  draft  horse  in  Belgium,  132 ; 
leading  Percheron,  in;  Percheron 
futurity,  112 

Shropshire  sheep,  551 ;  characteristics, 
556;  constitutional  vigor,  560;  cross- 
bred or  grade,  559;  distribution, 
563;  early-maturing  qualities,  560; 
fecundity,  560;  as  grazer,  559;  in- 
troduction to  America,  555;  native 
home,  551;  official  promotion,  564; 
origin,  551 ;  prices,  562 ;  rank  as 
mutton,  558;  size,  557;  two  early 
prominent  improvers,  554;  as  wool 
producer,  561 

Southdown  sheep,  537;  adaptability, 
547;  breeding,  by  English  nobility, 
539;  breeding  qualities,  547;  char- 
acteristics of  early,  540;  crossbred 
or  grade,  546;  distribution,  550;  as 


8i8 


INDEX 


feeder,  544;  important  early  im- 
provers of,  537;  introduction  to 
America,  540;  native  home,  537; 
original  stock,  537;  prices,  548; 
promotion,  550;  quality  of  mutton, 
545 ;  recent  characteristics,  541 ;  size, 
543  ;  as  wool  producer,  548 

Siamese  pig,  690 

Signal  family,  341 

Silesian,  or  German,  Merinos,  492 

Single  foot,  34 

Single-standard  Polled  Durham,  247 

Sires,  American  saddle-horse,  38;  Ayr- 
shire, 424;  Chester  White,  746; 
Clydesdale,  140;  Clydesdale,  honor 
roll  of,  144;  foundation  Belgian,  129; 
Hampshire,  757;  Hereford,  270; 
Holstein-Friesian,  379;  Jersey,  347; 
Jersey  foundation,  346;  Jersey, 
Island-bred  compared  with  native, 
348 ;  of  pacing  horses,  58 ;  Percheron, 
no;  Poland-China,  731;  recent 
Shorthorn,  240;  Red  Polled,  460; 
Shetland,  179;  Thoroughbred,  of 
winners,  25;  of  trotting  horses,  58 

Size,  of  American  Merino,  500;  of 
American  saddle  horse,  33 ;  of  Ayr- 
shire, 416;  of  Berkshire,  696;  of 
Black-faced  Highland,  653 ;  of  Brown 
Swiss,  466;  of  Cheshire,  767;  of 
Chester  White,  742;  of  Cheviot, 
600;  of  Cotswold,  631;  of  Devon, 
476;  of  Dexter,  444;  of  Dorset 
Horn,  589;  of  Duroc- Jersey,  711; 
of  Essex,  776;  of  Galloway,  304; 
of  Guernsey,  393;  of  Hampshire 
Down,  580;  of  Hampshire  pig,  755; 
of  Hereford,  260;  of  Holstein- 
Friesian,  363;  of  Jersey,  329;  of 
Large  Black,  763;  of  Large  York- 
shire, 786;  of  Leicester,  622;  of  Lin- 
coln, 638;  of  Mule-Foot,  760;  of 
Oxford  Down,  570;  of  Poland- 
China,  726;  of  Rambouillet,  526;  of 
Red  Polled,  454 ;  of  Romney  Marsh, 
648;  of  Shire,  154;  of  Shorthorn, 
230;  of  Shropshire,  557;  of  Small 
Yorkshire,  772;  of  Southdown,  543; 
of  Suffolk  sheep,  609 ;  of  Tamworth, 
794;  of  Tunis,  615;  of  West  High- 
land, 313 

Skin  secretions  of  Guernsey,  392;  of 
mutton-type  sheep,  535 

Small  White,  strains  or  families,  770 
Small  Yorkshire  pig,   770;   character- 
istics, 771;  crossbred  or  grade,  772; 


distribution,  773;  early  maturity, 
772;  fecundity,  773;  as  feeder,  772; 
as  grazer,  773 ;  introduction  to  Am- 
erica, 770;  origin,  770;  popularity, 
773;  promotion,  773;  quality  of 
meat,  772;  size,  772 

Sophie  i9th  of  Hood  Farm,  333,  338 

Soundness  of  Hackney,  75;  of  Shire, 
156 

Sows,  Poland-China,  families  and 
foundation,  731 

Spain,  annual  Merino  drives  in,  489; 
exportation  of  Merinos  from,  492 ; 
important  provincial  flocks  in,  490; 
reduction  of  Merino  flocks  in,  492 ; 
sheep  husbandry  in,  488 

Spanish  Merino,  Black-Top,  513 

Spanish  red  pigs,  705 

Spanish  sheep,  two  great  groups,  489 

Speed  records,  of  French  Coacher,  80; 
of  Thoroughbred,  26 

Speed  of  trotter,  59 

Spicy  tribe,  222 

Spotted  Poland-China,  736 ;  character- 
istics, 736 

Stallions,  important  Shire,  156 

Standard,  for  trotters,  49;  for  pacers, 
So 

Standard-bred  horse,  definition  of,  48 ; 
distribution,  63 ;  prices,  61 ;  official 
promotion,  63 

Standard,  National,  or  Victor-Beall 
Delaines,  515 

Steers,  Shorthorn,  in  show  ring,  232 ; 
grand-champion,  290;  prices  for 
Aberdeen- Angus,  298 

Sterility  of  mule,  192 

Strawberry,  or  Halnaby,  tribe,  216 

Studbook,  American  French  Coach, 
81 ;  Thoroughbred,  30 

Stud  fees  in  Belgium,  124 

Subclasses  of  heavy  harness  horses, 
68 

Suburban  handicap  records,  28 

Suffolk  and  Norfolk  Red  Polled  cattle, 
amalgamation  of,  452 

Suffolk  horse,  160;  characteristics,  162; 
color,  164;  distribution,  166;  as 
draft  animal,  166;  early  history, 
1 60;  fecundity  and  longevity,  165; 
foreign  blood  used  to  improve,  160,- 
foundation  of  pure-bred,  160;  grade 
or  crossbred,  165;  history  of,  in 
America,  161 ;  history  of  modern, 
161;  promotion,  167;  native  home, 
1 60;  prices,  167 


INDEX 


819 


Suffolk  Red  Polled  cattle,  450 

Suffolk  sheep,  607 ;  characteristics,  608 ; 
crossbred  or  grade,  610;  distribution, 
612;  fecundity,  611;  as  feeder,  609; 
introduction  to  America,  607;  for 
mutton,  609;  native  home,  607;  or- 
ganizations for  promoting,  612; 
original  stock,  607;  prices,  611;  as 
producer  of  wool,  On;  size,  609 

Swedish  Merinos,  493 

Swine.   See  Pig 

Tamworth  pig,  792 ;  ancestry,  792 ;  for 
bacon,  795;  characteristics,  793; 
criticisms,  798;  crossbred  or  grade, 
796;  distribution,  798;  early  type, 
792;  fecundity,  797;  feeding  qual- 
ity, 7955  as  grazer,  797;  improve- 
ment, 792 ;  introduction  to  Amer- 
ica, 793 ;  maturing  qualities,  795 ; 
native  home,  702  ;  organizations  pro- 
moting, 798 ;  size,  794  ^ 

Temperament  and  disposition,  of  Ayr- 
shire, 417;  of  Belgian,  127;  of 
Clydesdale,  139;  of  Guernsey,  393; 
of  Jersey,  331;  of  lard-type,  687; 
of  mule,  197;  of  Percheron,  107;  of 
Red  Polled,  459;  of  Shire,  155;  of 
Shorthorn,  239;  of  Thoroughbred, 
23 

Testing  of  Holstein-Friesians,  Ad- 
vanced Registry  Official,  367 

Tests,  public,  Ayrshires  in,  422 

Thoroughbreds,  17;  of  American 
breeding,  25;  color,  23;  conforma- 
tion, 21 ;  distribution,  29;  early  im- 
provement, 18;  height,  23;  importa- 
tion to  America,  24;  list  of  famous 
British,  23;  origin,  21;  prices,  29; 
records  of,  at  English  Derby,  27; 
records  of,  on  American  turf,  27; 
sires  of  winners,  25;  speed  record, 
26;  studbook,  30;  temperament,  23; 
three  early  English  sires,  19;  value 
of,  in  developing  American  saddle 
horse,  32;  weight,  23;  winnings,  28 

Toggenburg  goat,  674 

Tomkins  family,  254 

Tomkins,  Benjamin,  father  and  son,  254 

Tormentor  family,  344 

Transhumantes,  489 

Tribes  and  groups  of  Red  Polled  cattle, 
460 

Tricksey  family,  406 

Trot,  35,  47;  fox,  35;  interchangeable 
with  pace,  48 


Trotter,  American,  44,  46;  definition 
of  standard-bred,  48;  early  use  of, 
in  America,  44 ;  families  of  note,  50 ; 
famous  brood  mares,  56;  founda~ 
tion  blood  of,  in  America,  44 ;  history 
of  English,  44;  leading  sires,  58; 
number  with  records,  61 ;  some  rec- 
ords, 60 ;  speed,  59 ;  standard  of 
eligibility,  49;  type  of  American,  46 

Tunis  sheep,  613;  characteristics,  614; 
crossbred  or  grade,  616;  distribu- 
tion, 617;  for  early  lambs,  616; 
fecundity,  616;  fleece,  616;  intro- 
duction to  America,  613 ;  as  mutton 
animal,  615;  native  home,  613; 
origin,  613;  size,  615 

Tunis  Sheep  Breeders'  Association, 
American,  617 

Turf,  Thoroughbred  records  on  Amer- 
ican, 27 

Type,  bacon  pig,  778;  Chester  White, 
original,  737;  Essex,  early  native, 
774;  improvement  of  old  Jersey, 
325;  Large  Yorkshire,  786;  line  of 
demarcation  in  Merino,  483 ; 
modern,  of  Merino  in  Australia,  499 ; 
older  Berkshire,  691 ;  Romney  Marsh, 
early,  646 ;  Romney  Marsh,  modern, 
647 ;  of  swine  most  valued  in  United 
States,  683;  Tamworth,  early,  792 

Types,  of  Devon,  two,  476;  of 
Holstein-Friesian,  361 ;  of  Merino, 
three,  481 ;  of  Merino,  breeding  of 
three,  483 

Udder  of  dairy  cow,  320 

United  States,  distribution  of  Per- 
cheron in,  114;  exhibition  of  Bel- 
gians in,  133 ;  introduction  of  Cheviot 
to,  599;  introduction  of  Cotswold 
to,  629 ;  introduction  of  Large  York- 
shire to,  784 ;  introduction  of  Merino 
to,  495;  introduction  of  Percheron 
to,  102 ;  introduction  of  Rambouillet 
to,  521;  mule-raising  in,  194;  type 
of  swine  most  valued  in,  683 


Veins,  milk,  321 

Venus  tribe,  222 

Victor-Beall  Delaine  Merino,  515 

Victoria  tribe,  222 

Vigor  of  Shropshire,  560 

Violet  tribe,  223 

Warrior,  189 


820 


INDEX 


Waterloo  tribe,  213 

Watson  of  Keillor,  Hugh,  280 

Webb,  Jonas,  538 

Weight,  of  Aberdeen- Angus,  286;  of 
Angora  goat,  670;  of  bacon  pig,  780; 
of  Corriedale,  658;  of  draft  horse, 
89;  and  height  of  Belgian,  127;  and 
height  of  Clydesdale,  138;  and 
height  of  Percheron,  106;  of  Merino 
fleece  compared  with  body,  502 ; 
of  milch  goat,  680;  of  mule,  194;  of 
Thoroughbred,  23 

Welsh  pony,  168 

West  Highland  cattle,  311;  as  beef 
producer,  313;  breeding  qualities, 
315;  characteristics,  312;  crossbred 
or  grade,  314;  distribution,  315; 
hardiness,  315;  introduction  of,  to 
America,  311 ;  milking  qualities,  314; 
native  home,  311;  organization  of 
breeders,  316;  origin,  311;  size, 

313 

Wild  Eyes  tribe,  214 
William  the  Conqueror,  156 
Winnings,    of   Thoroughbred,    28;    on 

the  race  track,  61 


Wool,  American  Merino  as  producer  of, 
501;  Black-faced  Highland  as  pro- 
ducer of,  653;  Cheviot  as  producer 
of,  604;  Cotswold  as  producer  of, 
634;  crimp  and  elasticity  of  Merino, 
503;  Dorset  Horn  as  producer  of, 
593;  Hampshire  Down  as  producer 
of,  583;  Leicester  as  producer  of, 
624 ;  Lincoln  as  producer  of,  642 ; 
of  Merino,  487;  of  mutton-type 
sheep,  535;  Oxford  Down  as  pro- 
ducer of,  572;  Rambouillet  as 
producer  of,  527;  Shropshire  as  pro- 
ducer of,  561 ;  Southdown  as  pro- 
ducer of,  548;  Suffolk  as  producer 
of,  611 

World  War,  influence  of,  on  horse  in 
Belgium,  133 

Wright  strain,  161 

Yeksa  family,  407 
Yolk,  481 

Yorkshire  Club,  American,  791 
Yorkshire  Coach  horse,  87 
Yorkshire    pig.   See    Large    Yorkshire 
and  Small  Yorkshire 


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MAR  1  5  '50 
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JT.L.L. 

0A2S  AFTER 


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to. 


SI 

01 


LIBSASY,  BRANCH  OF  THE  COLLBQB  OF  AGEIOULTT7RD,  DAVIS 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


